Hit enter to search

PARIS and TOKYO, 7th December 2017 – Food safety, transparency, and traceability are top of mind these days for everyone; from the CEO of a food and beverage company all the way to the individual consumer. In this environment of consumer awareness and digital transformation, how can we ensure food safety for consumers everywhere? The Global Food Safety Initiative has made it our mandate to advance innovation and collaboration around this question, weaving it into the fabric of the 17th instance of our Global Food Safety Conference taking place in Tokyo from 5-8 March 2018.

Following a record-breaking 1,200 delegates in attendance at the 2017 Conference in Houston, we are determined to make this year’s event even more impactful than the last. That’s why we’ve made the theme for next year’s Conference a reflection of our mission statement: safe food for consumers everywhere.

GFSC, hosted by The Consumer Goods Forum, is the industry’s annual rendezvous, bringing together CEOs from the world’s top food brands, industry stakeholders, and public sector leaders to share how they are working to build a safer food system for people around the world.

This year’s programme is all about practical application, offering real-life case studies and actionable take-aways that you can implement in your own supply chain or organisation. Also featuring prominently will be discussions on how public-private partnerships can work to harmonise global food safety regulations while building consumer trust and increasing industry efficiency.

As the year-end draws closer, we are excited to announce the release of the 2018 Conference programme and keynote speakers. The conference format will consist of five plenary sessions, at which CEOs and industry leaders from around the world will speak on their own visions of food safety. This core programme will be supplemented by various breakfast and breakout sessions, Tech Talks and networking opportunities throughout the action-packed 3-day conference.

Here’s a peak at the topics you can expect to be covered in each plenary session, including a look at the industry-leading lineup of speakers confirmed so far.

 

Illuminating Discussion Across All Plenary Sessions

Now more than ever, customers are empowered to make informed decisions and influence others. They are no longer passive observers, but active participants. This has led to massive changes in the way people interact with brands.

History shows that when companies listen to their customers, collaborate, and innovate together, they thrive. Discover how Sarah Casanova, who became CEO of McDonald’s Japan in the wake of a food safety incident, was able to make an amazing comeback, harnessing the power of listening to customers and leveraging customer feedback for success. Meanwhile, Heidi Hovland, CEO of DeVries Global, will talk about how harnessing the power of influence can help drive engagement with customers, co-create new, customer-first product ideas, and bring your brand into the cultural conversation.

Takaaki Nishii, President and CEO of Ajinomoto Co. will speak about his vision to expand washoku, or traditional Japanese cuisine like sushi and tempura, goyza and ramen, all over the world. Using only the freshest and highest quality meats, fish, and vegetables is an innate part of Japanese cooking. This practice of being particular about ingredients is a cornerstone of washoku and one that Ajinomoto strives to uphold across its value chain through a myriad of food safety management measures.

We will have a number of sessions covering capability building and highlighting the global implementation of the Global Markets Programme. The second day of the conference will open with an expert panel leading a discussion on how primary production is being managed through collaborative efforts in very different ways around the world. Speakers including former US FDA Deputy Commissioner, Mike Taylor, will address global markets process and the link between capacity-building and food safety culture. You’ll hear a presentation from CEO of the Food Standards Agency Jason Feeney on the role of the public sector in advancing food safety. And be sure not to miss the ceremony to announce winners of the second annual Global Markets Awards, which will be unveiled during the Conference.

Other highlights include a series of illuminating presentations given by experts from Cornell University and NSF International on how advancements in science and technology – from big data and digital transformation to food science and sustainability – can be leveraged to innovate and improve food safety practices. Join us as the Conference draws to a close for a final lineup of speakers that will cover such diverse topics as nutrition and the future of food and food safety in Japan in 2020 when Tokyo welcomes thousands of athletes and sports fans from around the world.

 

ENDS

 

Access the Programme

 

Press contact: Lisa Prévert l.prevert@theconsumergoodsforum.com 

Translate »