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GFSI Conference
Programme
Join us Wednesday morning for a workshop to explore how to use Root Cause Analysis (RCA) in the Auditing space. RCA is a fundamental part of the process of learning from mistakes and learning from mistakes is the key step in avoiding a repetition. This is not a presentation session or panel discussion but a highly interactive workshop where all participants will be asked to look at RCA and more importantly get your thoughts on key topics like:
1. can assessment of a food business operator’s use of RCA be made during an audit?
2. how broadly can RCA be used as a continuous improvement tool across all stakeholder groups to improve food safety?
In a revolutionary approach for GFSI participants, the workshop will be organised in small highly interactive groups for facilitated discussion.
Capacity is limited, with a maximum of 30 seats available per workshop; places are on a first-come, first-served basis. If you’re interested in attending, sign-ups will be available via the Conference App, so keep an eye out for your inbox!
Location: The Liffey A
Since the publication of GFSI’s groundbreaking Position Paper on Food Safety Culture in 2018, the global food industry has witnessed profound shifts in both operational environments and stakeholder expectations. This session offers a critical opportunity to reflect on the progress made, assess emerging trends, and shape the future direction of food safety culture within the GFSI community.
The session will begin with a retrospective analysis of the 2018 Position Paper, exploring its pivotal role in framing food safety culture as a business-critical priority. Building on this foundation, an update on the latest research and insights published since 2018 will be provided, highlighting key advances in understanding the drivers of sustainable food safety culture and how organisations worldwide have integrated these principles into their operational frameworks.
Transitioning from theory to practice, the session will feature an interactive workshop designed to collaboratively explore the contours of an updated GFSI Position Paper.
The outcomes of this session will directly inform the next iteration of GFSI’s Position Paper, ensuring it remains a forward-looking, globally relevant resource that empowers organisations to cultivate robust, resilient food safety cultures that stand the test of time.
Key Takeaways:
– A nuanced understanding of how food safety culture thinking has evolved since 2018.
– Insight into the most influential academic findings and real-world applications driving progress today.
– Actionable recommendations for shaping GFSI’s future direction on food safety culture through a refreshed position paper.
Who Should Attend:
This session is essential for food safety leaders, regulatory experts, supply chain managers, academics, and C-suite executives committed to embedding a strong, adaptive food safety culture that transcends compliance and drives business excellence.
Capacity is limited, with a maximum of 30 seats available per workshop; places are on a first-come, first-served basis. If you’re interested in attending, sign-ups will be available via the Conference App, so keep an eye out for your inbox!
Location: The Liffey B
Location: Plenary Hall
Join Dr. Donald Prater, Principal Associate Commissioner for Human Foods at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, for an insightful session on the evolving landscape of food safety regulation and oversight in the United States. In his keynote address, Dr. Prater will share the FDA’s strategic vision for enhancing food safety systems, addressing current challenges, and fostering innovation in regulatory approaches. The session will explore critical topics including supply chain security, regulatory adaptation to emerging technologies, and strengthening industry collaboration through initiatives like the Global Food Safety Initiative. Following the keynote, Isabelle Kumar will moderate an engaging Q&A discussion, delving into the FDA’s response to current operational challenges, technological integration in food safety monitoring and strategies for building a more resilient food safety framework.
Location: Plenary Hall
As digitalisation reshapes industries worldwide, the food safety sector is no exception. This session will explore the latest developments in integrating technology into food safety practices. Our panel of experts will discuss real-world applications, including advancements in environmental monitoring, innovative approaches to HACCP plan management and operational examples of how digital tools are transforming safety protocols. Join us to learn how the industry is leveraging digital solutions to enhance efficiency, ensure compliance and drive proactive risk management.
Location: Plenary Hall
Food traceability and FSMA 204: How smart technology, enhanced with AI, simplifies the compliance journey
Food traceability has evolved from a challenge into a crucial food safety expectation, driven by advancements in digital technology and new regulations. The US FDA’s FSMA 204 food traceability regulation has become the catalyst for this evolution, accelerating the implementation of traceability by breaking down barriers and making it an attainable goal.
The global supply chain may be complex with upstream and downstream partners at varying levels of technological and traceability data management capabilities. However, compliance doesn’t have to be as daunting as it seems.
In this Tech Talk session, we will explore how digital traceability technology, supported by AI, provides an intuitive, scalable solution to meeting FSMA 204 requirements, regardless of your supply chain’s complexity. The session will highlight practical solutions to real-world traceability challenges, showcasing TRAKKEY by SGS. This cutting-edge tool turns FSMA 204 compliances into an opportunity to improve traceability data management, enhance operational efficiency, and ensure compliance for you, your suppliers and your clients.
Key Takeaways:
– Gain insights on ensuring compliance across your entire supply chain, from farm to fork.
– Understand how FSMA 204 can be seamlessly integrated into your existing systems without disrupting business operations.
– Discover how digital tools, enhanced with AI, simplify compliance with FSMA 204, ensuring the adequacy and reliability of incoming traceability data from suppliers and outgoing data to your supply chain partners.
– See firsthand how TRAKKEY, the latest digital solution from SGS, simplifies compliance and drives operational efficiency, helping you meet FSMA 204 requirements with cutting-edge technology.
Location: Presentation Theatre in the Exhibition Hall
Sustainable and Safe: Striking the right balance between sustainable practices, innovation and ensuring food safety
Sustainability and food safety must go hand-in-hand, but how do we ensure that eco-friendly initiatives don’t unintentionally create new risks? With a growing number of job roles converging to bring food safety, quality and sustainability together, this trend reflects the growing recognition of the interconnectedness between ensuring safe, high-quality food is delivered using sustainable practices.
Through real-world examples, NSF’s Alison Friel, Senior Manager, Food Advisory and Training, explores the potential impacts that sustainable initiatives can have on food safety, and how, by implementing a strategic, risk-aware approach, organisations can achieve successful outcomes which protect both human and planet health.
Guests attending this session will take away:
• The value in driving a holistic approach to sustainability.
• Real-life examples of sustainable initiatives and food safety implications.
• Best practice approaches to tackle challenges using a strategic, risk-aware approach.
• Where food safety and sustainability teams work independently, how to drive a collaborative mindset for a successful outcome.
Location: Presentation Theatre in the Exhibition Hall
The food industry is evolving at an unprecedented pace, driven by shifting consumer preferences, technological advancements and global supply chain complexities. In an era of information overload, effectively communicating food safety messages to consumers has become both increasingly crucial and challenging. This session will explore innovative strategies for building consumer trust through transparency, traceability and targeted education in food safety. We will examine the complexities of translating technical food safety information into clear, actionable messages for the lay audience and how compelling food safety narratives can resonate with diverse consumer groups. We will also share insights into how these trends are influencing food safety strategies and product development, highlighting how leading food companies are adapting their food safety approaches to meet evolving consumer expectations. What is more, panelists will explore how digitization and automation are transforming back-of-house operations and creating new avenues for comprehensive employee education.
Location: The Liffey A
Join this session as we explore the complex challenges at the nexus of food safety and plastics. Speakers will examine the emerging scientific and regulatory landscapes surrounding chemical contaminants in food production and packaging, with a focus on PFAS and understanding the technological, environmental and health implications. Panelists will share innovative approaches to identifying, mitigating, and responding to evolving risks in food safety. By fostering critical dialogue across disciplines, the session aims to generate insights into sustainable solutions that balance technological innovation with human and environmental well-being.
Location: The Liffey B
In an era of unprecedented environmental, economic and social challenges, the intersection of food safety, sustainability and economic viability has become increasingly complex. This session examines how these crucial elements interact and impact various sectors of the food industry, with particular attention to vulnerable stakeholders including primary producers and small to medium enterprises. Discussion will explore how evolving food safety regulations and sustainability requirements affect economic outcomes across the food value chain. Our expert speakers will address critical questions about balancing regulatory compliance with business viability, as well as emerging legislative frameworks and their practical implications for different industry sectors.
Location: The Liffey A
How can food companies maintain consumer trust in a rapidly evolving global food system? This session brings together experts to explore how digital innovation is transforming food labelling. Topics include integrating sustainability metrics with traditional allergen and nutritional information, navigating regulatory compliance across global markets, and leveraging technology to enhance transparency and trust. Attendees will gain insights into emerging trends, practical solutions, and the future of food labelling in a sustainable and consumer-focused landscape.
Location: The Liffey B
Exhibition Hall
Safe collaboration through data sharing, enhancing food safety and quality. How it is now working.
Location: The Liffey A
Invisible Dangers: Uncovering Hidden Food Safety Risks
Join us for an eye-opening panel discussion that dives into the often-overlooked dangers lurking within our food supply. Diversey Consulting brings together leading industry experts to explore the unseen risks that can compromise food safety and public health.
– Expert Insights: Hear from top food safety experts about the latest developments in identifying hidden food safety risks.
– Case Studies: Learn from real global examples of food safety breaches and how they were managed.
– Innovative Solutions: Discover cutting-edge technologies and practices that can help detect and mitigate hidden food safety threats.
– Interactive Q&A: Engage with the panelists during this live Q&A session.
Key Takeaways:
– Understanding Hidden Risks: Learn about the various types of hidden food safety threats and why they are often overlooked.
Location: The Liffey B
In an era marked by the urgent need to tackle food safety in the context of food security and sustainability, an integrated, comprehensive and innovative approach to risk analysis is paramount. This session will explore the complexities of food safety risk analysis within the context of the green transition and the continuing pressures on global food supply chains. We will share insights on the evolving dynamics of food safety amidst environmental shifts, highlighting the critical intersection of these global challenges. We will discuss innovative strategies and solutions for effective risk management, aiming to bolster global capabilities in ensuring safe, sustainable and resilient food systems. Panelists will discuss the implications for food production, distribution, and consumption and how these changes necessitate a rethinking of traditional risk analysis frameworks, i.e. shifting agricultural practices, the introduction of new food technologies and the need for adaptive regulatory measures.
Location: The Liffey A
As the global food industry evolves, so does the need to reinforce trust in audit systems. This panel will highlight GFSI’s proactive efforts to enhance the credibility and effectiveness of its audits. Industry leaders will discuss the challenges facing audit systems, the advancements being made and the collaborative initiatives aimed at building greater confidence in GFSI audits. Join us to explore how GFSI is driving innovation and transparency.
Location: The Liffey B
QR Codes powered by GS1: one scan, infinite possibilities
As the demand for greater food safety and transparency grows, industry is transitioning from the traditional linear barcodes to next generation barcodes that can carry richer, more detailed information. Consumers today expect full visibility into the origins of the products they buy and access to more reliable and trusted data.
This talk will explore how industry can meet those challenges, using QR Codes powered by GS1, enabled by the GS1 Digital Link standard. These advanced barcodes unlock access to an unlimited range of digital product-related information and interactive experiences, benefiting retailers, consumers, regulators and all stakeholders across the food supply chain.
At point of sale, retailers can instantly detect expired, withdrawn, or recalled products, ensuring a seamless, efficient and compliant checkout process. Post-sale, the QR Code powered by GS1 enables precise and rapid recalls, enhancing food safety management with greater accuracy and effectiveness.
To meet evolving consumer expectations, we will demonstrate how GS1 standards provide access to product origin and producer details, manufacturing dates, lot numbers, expiration dates, potential allergens, and more with just a simple scan.
Key takeaways:
– Quality assurance – access to trusted traceability data, certifications, safety information and technical specifications for seamless product verification
– Point of sale efficiency – streamline inventory management by instantly processing batch numbers, expiry dates, and serial numbers while preventing the sale of expired or recalled products
– Enhanced consumer experience – deliver enriched product details including allergens, ingredients, brand loyalty rewards and sustainability efforts
Attendees will be invited to scan QR codes on sample products with their smartphones, unlocking consumer-friendly content such as product origin, producer information, ingredients, expiry dates, nutrition details, recipes and exclusive promotions.
Join us to discover how QR codes powered by GS1 serve as a gateway to rich digital content, transforming the entire food supply chain – from production to consumer and beyond.
Location: Presentation Theatre in the Exhibition Hall
In this session, Sean Summers, Group CEO of Pick n Pay, will recount the company’s response to a crisis that led to the recall of three products for public safety. Moderated by Isabelle Kumar, the fireside chat will explore the role of leadership, transparency, and company culture in managing crises. Sean will share how Pick n Pay acted swiftly to protect consumers and maintain trust, offering valuable insights into effective crisis management and communication. The conversation will focus on the decisions and ethical considerations behind recalls, emphasising the importance of transparency in crisis response. Sean will reflect on lessons learned and how these principles continue to guide the company today.
Location: Plenary Hall
The food industry finds itself at a pivotal moment with consumers increasingly turning to pharmacies for their micronutrients, while the fundamental relationship between food and health is being forgotten. Big Pharma profits from the very health issues that poor dietary habits create. The rise of the anti-obesity drugs, Ozempic and Wegovy, are generating enormous market value, highlighting the irony of pharma profiting from problems the food industry has created and could help prevent.
The food industry is often vilified by the media for its promotion of ultra-processed foods, food additives, and E-numbers, which are frequently portrayed as harmful despite their essential functions in food safety, preservation, and nutrition. If food innovations are deemed unacceptable by consumers, it presents a major challenge, especially when the same consumers readily embrace expensive synthetic supplements, believing them to be superior to naturally sourced nutrients in food.
Contradictions in consumer demands are becoming increasingly apparent. A highly vocal subset of the population champions plant-based diets as a healthier and more sustainable choice for both people and the planet. However, organic farming alone couldn’t meet global demand for plant based diets, necessitating greater reliance on agrochemicals and disease-resistant genetically modified crops, ironically, the very solutions often rejected by the same consumer groups. The food industry must take control of the conversation, advocating for science-based solutions rather than letting fear and misinformation dictate food policy and influence consumer trust.
Ruminant livestock production is increasingly viewed as environmentally damaging, and in some circles, red meat is even perceived as detrimental to human health. However, despite predictions of the meat industry’s decline, cattle and sheep prices have reached record highs due to unprecedented global demand, challenging the narrative of its impending demise.
To address sustainability concerns with the livestock sector, the industry is introducing innovative strategies, but these efforts often face consumer resistance. A recent example is Arla in the UK encouraging its dairy farmers to use a methane lowering feed additive, which sparked a backlash from consumers who perceived it as unnatural and an unnecessary interference in food production. This highlights the challenge of aligning sustainability efforts with public acceptance, as consumers demand climate-friendly solutions while simultaneously rejecting the very innovations designed to achieve them.
Beyond environmental concerns, animal welfare remains a major issue in the food industry, with the humane treatment of livestock throughout their production cycle being paramount. Among slaughter methods, Halal practices often generate more controversy than others. As Muslim consumers increasingly shop in mainstream supermarkets and dine in commercial foodservice outlets, the need for a globally recognised, high-standard Halal certification, acceptable to both Muslim and non-Muslim consumers has become more pressing. With over 400 different Halal certification logos worldwide, standards vary significantly, and the new Saudi Food and Drug Authority’s Quality Halal Assurance Scheme may offer a much-needed initiative to establish a more unified and credible global standard.
The food industry faces unprecedented challenges but also opportunities. The disconnect between consumer demands and scalable food solutions makes it difficult for the industry to balance affordability, availability, and acceptance. It can allow misinformation, fear driven narratives and conflicting dietary advice to dictate its future, or it can fight back, leading the charge in restoring public trust, advancing scientific discourse, and ensuring a fair regulatory landscape. Whether challenging Big Pharma’s dominance, correcting misconceptions about food technology, or addressing the ethical complexities of Halal certification and animal welfare, the industry must take a proactive role in education, policy engagement, and consumer trust-building. The future of food is not just about compliance, it’s about leadership.
Location: Plenary Hall
Join us for an unforgettable Networking Dinner at the iconic Gravity Bar in the Guinness Storehouse, Dublin! Perched high above the city, this unique venue offers breathtaking panoramic views of Dublin’s skyline, paired with a warm, welcoming atmosphere. We can’t wait to share this special experience with you! This Dinner will be kindly hosted by the Conference Exclusive Partner – MSD Animal Health.
Location: Guinness Storehouse, St. James’s Gate, Dublin 8, D08 VF8H
Departures: from the Convention Centre Dublin lobby at 19:30
Return Transfers: back to the Convention Centre Dublin as of 22:00
