Foodborne illnesses are the reason for around 3,000 deaths and 128,000 hospitalizations every year. The onus of maintaining food safety protocols and staying compliant with industry standards falls on manufacturers. However, implementing food safety norms in your organization may not be as direct as it seems.
Many factors go into how food products are produced. Some of the most common challenges that arise include food waste, cross-contamination, raw materials quality, contaminated equipment and so on. Each of these challenges needs to be addressed through specific and targeted solutions.
When a Cyprus based company beverage manufacturer faced similar challenges they approached Effivity for an Integrated QHSE Management Software. With Effivity's software solution, they were able to improve their food safety management processes and achieve compliance and growth. Here's more about that success story.
About the Organization
The Cyprus-based organization is a leading private group specializing in beverage production and the distribution of various goods. It operates extensively across Cyprus, Greece, Romania, Croatia, and Slovenia. As one of the fastest-evolving companies in the region, it produces a wide range of beverages and distributes other products, catering to a diverse market. The organization is known for its innovative approach and significant presence in the food and beverage industry.
Challenges Faced
Inability to Track Cost of Poor Supplier Quality:
The company struggled to monitor and quantify the financial impact of substandard materials from both local and global suppliers.
Lack of Key Performance Indicator Monitoring:
Without effective tracking of key performance indicators (KPIs), the organization found it difficult to measure operational efficiency and progress, which hindered data-driven decision-making and strategic planning.
Non-Compliance with ISO Standards:
Challenges in maintaining ISO compliance posed risks of failing audits, facing penalties, or losing essential certifications, which could damage the company's reputation and market position.
Inefficient Document Management for Audits and Inspections:
Poor management of documents made it hard to prepare for unannounced third-party audits and regulatory inspections.
Lack of Integrated Management System:
Operating without an integrated software system led to inefficiencies and communication gaps across departments and regions.
Difficulty in Managing Food Safety Records:
Manual handling of food safety records increased the risk of errors and omissions, potentially leading to regulatory non-compliance and endangering consumer safety.
How Effivity Helped
Effivity is a compliance management software that caters to businesses across industries. It is a customizable and user-friendly platform that can help organizations achieve compliance across a range of globally and locally recognized standards.
Effivity offered health and safety management software to the Cyprus-based company. The organization benefited in the following ways:
1. Compliance Management
The company struggled with manual handling of food safety records, which was time-consuming and prone to errors, risking non-compliance with the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and other regulations.
The Effivity platform provided real-time updates on compliance status, enabling the company to quickly identify and rectify any deviations from regulatory requirements. Effivity allowed the company to tailor compliance workflows to match their specific operational processes so that the changes could be easily integrated into their daily operations.
2. Document Control
Effivity significantly improved the company's document management for audits and inspections. Poor document control had previously made it challenging to prepare for unannounced third-party audits and regulatory inspections. With Effivity, all documents were centralized in a secure repository accessible to authorized personnel across all locations. Version control features ensured that employees always worked with the most current documents, reducing confusion and errors.
The software maintained comprehensive audit trails of document revisions and access histories. This transparency was invaluable during audits, providing clear evidence of compliance. Effivity reduced the time and effort required to manage documentation, enhancing overall operational efficiency.
3. Audit Management
Effivity transformed the company's audit management processes, which had been cumbersome and inefficient. The software facilitated the scheduling and planning of internal and external audits, ensuring they were conducted systematically and on time.
When audits revealed findings, Effivity automatically logged them and assigned them to responsible parties. The system tracked these issues until resolution, ensuring continuous improvement. This proactive approach to audit management enhanced the company's readiness for inspections and reduced the risk of non-compliance.
4. Corrective Actions
Delays and confusion had arisen due to manual processes and unclear responsibilities. Effivity automated the creation of corrective action plans derived from audit findings or incident reports. Responsibilities and deadlines were clearly assigned, ensuring accountability throughout the process.
The software sent automated notifications to responsible individuals and escalated issues if deadlines were missed. Managers could monitor the progress of corrective actions in real-time, enabling proactive management and timely interventions.
5. Risk management
Effivity integrated risk management into all key processes, addressing a critical need for the company. The software enabled systematic identification and assessment of potential risks across operations. By evaluating likelihood and impact of risks, the company could prioritize mitigation efforts effectively.
6. Supplier Management
The company had struggled to track supplier performance and the cost of poor-quality materials. Effivity enhanced supplier management by providing tools to evaluate and approve suppliers based on predefined criteria. This ensured that only qualified suppliers were engaged, improving the quality of incoming materials.
Material inspection records were systematically recorded in the platform which made it easier to identify and address issues with supplier deliveries. Effivity also tracked supplier performance data over time, enabling informed decisions regarding supplier relationships and negotiations.
7. Communication and Collaboration
Effivity improved communication and collaboration within the company, addressing inefficiencies caused by the lack of an integrated system. The software connected all departments and locations through a unified platform, ensuring that everyone had access to the same information and tools.
The Bottom Line
The Cyprus-based beverage manufacturer achieved unprecedented levels of growth by implementing quality management software to improve their processes. Effivity software also helped them achieve compliance with FSMA and ISO standards, which, in turn, positioned them as a trustworthy and reliable brand.
If you wish similar levels of success for your organization, consider implementing Effivity's software solutions. To learn more about how QMS and QHSE software can benefit your organization, visit the Effivity website and set up a free consultation call with our team!
