The Future of Food Safety Audits Think Tank’s white paper, released in October last year, sparked significant interest—but this was just the beginning.
Building on that momentum, World of Auditing is partnering with Çağ University, Turkey, to launch a global quantitative and qualitative survey in early 2025. This initiative aims to deliver science-based insights into the size, scope, and dynamics of food safety auditing challenges and opportunities, as discussed on global platforms.
This comprehensive and unprecedented survey will gather valuable perspectives from Quality Food Safety (QFS) leaders (*) and Food Safety auditors working in the food and beverage industry. It is designed to assess the effectiveness of audits, explore challenges, and chart the future of food safety practices.
The study will delve into critical areas such as governance frameworks, the impact of digitalization, auditor skills, and the evolving role of the auditing profession. It will be structured to address general topics relevant to all participants, specific perspectives from QFS leaders and auditors, and forward-looking discussions about the evolution of auditing. The responses will help identify opportunities to improve audit practices and enhance food safety systems across the industry.
The questionnaire will address the following ten areas:
- General Topics: We will aim to understand participants’ opinions on food safety audits’ overall effectiveness and impact. Questions will focus on the general perception of audits, their contribution to public health and continuous improvement, and whether the current audit practices meet their intended goals.
- Governance Process: We will explore participants’ views on the governance frameworks supporting food safety audits. Questions will address the transparency, inclusiveness, and harmonization of global standards and the possible concerns for a universally accepted certification.
- Digitalization: We will examine the role of digital tools and technology in food safety audits. Questions will cover digitalization’s adoption, benefits, challenges, and impact on audit processes and accuracy.
- Auditor Capabilities: We will address auditors’ competencies, including technical expertise, soft skills, and associated training programs.
- Auditing Profession: We will delve into the perceived value of the auditing profession, career prospects, and auditors’ influence on food safety practices. Questions will also explore factors that could enhance the appeal of auditing as a career.
- Future of Audits: We will focus on the evolution of food safety audits. Questions will address the possible threat of auditor shortages, adopting proactive auditing models, and the likelihood of integrating advanced technologies in audits.
- Perceived Value of Food Safety Audits: We will evaluate the perceived value created by different audits (first-party, second-party, and third-party). We will also examine the effectiveness of integrity programs, the balance between certification and value addition, and the practicality of audit findings.
- Internal Audits: We will focus on the role and value of internal audits within organizations. We will explore perceptions about internal auditors’ capabilities, cross-departmental involvement, and the organization’s commitment to leveraging internal audits effectively.
- Perspective of Auditors: Food Safety auditors will share their perspectives on skills, compensation, career development, and professional support.
- Cost of multiple certifications: we will aim to determine the costs of holding multiple certifications.
The findings will be available in a publicly accessible report during the second quarter of 2025, offering actionable insights to enhance food safety systems across the industry. The benefits will include gaining insights into the perceived value of various types of audits, understanding governance challenges and opportunities, evaluating the auditing profession’s perception, assessing organizational prioritization of internal audits and resource allocation, exploring the value of digitalization, measuring auditors’ skills, and quantifying the costs of multiple certifications.
Whether you are a Food Safety auditor or a QFS leader, your voice matters.
Stay tuned for more details and participation opportunities.
(*): QFS Leaders include specialists, supervisors, managers, directors, or VPs driving the Quality Food Safety agenda at manufacturing locations or regional/global offices.
By Marc Cwikowski
January 20, 2025
