10 Steps to Establishing a Roadmap for Food Safety Culture

The first step in developing a food safety culture roadmap is to conduct a gap assessment. As highlighted by Sheik Peer, Technical Manager Food at SGS, business cannot implement any food safety culture without evaluating current processes and systems in place.

This involves evaluating the organization's current food safety practices against recognized food safety standards, such as ISO 22000, FSSC 22000 or BRCGS. Additionally, it is essential to understand that food safety culture already exists at different levels within every organization. Assessing the current level of food safety culture helps identify how deeply it is embedded in daily operations and where improvements are needed.

Practical Guidelines

• Use internal audits and third-party assessments to benchmark current practices.
• Identify non-conformities and areas that need enhancement.
• Conduct employee surveys and observations to gauge the current level of food safety culture.
• Develop a corrective action plan based on assessment findings.
• Implement maturity assessments on a regular basis to track progress. As highlighted by Shabeek Thayyil, Quality Assurance & Food Safety Director at Agthia, this approach was successfully used when Agthia acquired Abu Auf and Atyab in Egypt and Oman, ensuring a structured evaluation of food safety maturity in newly integrated businesses. 

Leadership commitment is the foundation of a successful food safety culture. Senior management must prioritize food safety, integrate it into the corporate strategy, and lead by example.

Practical Guidelines

• Define a clear food safety policy supported by top management.
• Allocate sufficient resources for food safety programs.
• Conduct regular meetings to review food safety progress.

A strong food safety culture requires investment in personnel, training, infrastructure, and technology to ensure effective implementation.

Practical Guidelines

• Provide modern equipment and hygienic infrastructure.
• Ensure adequate staffing in critical food safety roles.
• Allocate budget for training, monitoring, and compliance.

Setting clear and measurable objectives helps organizations track progress and drive continuous improvement.

Practical Guidelines

• Define SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) food safety goals.
• Align objectives with regulatory requirements and customer expectations.
• Regularly review and adjust objectives based on performance.

A food safety culture thrives when employees at all levels are engaged and understand their roles and responsibilities. However, one of the main challenges in achieving this is overcoming language barriers. Employees may have different native languages, a common situation for the Middle East region, making it crucial to think about creative ways to communicate and engage them effectively.

Practical Guidelines

• Involve employees in food safety discussions and decision-making.
• Conduct interactive training sessions to build awareness.
• Recognize and reward employees for food safety contributions.
• Address language barriers by using visual aids, signs, and multilingual training materials.
• Follow Agthia’s practice of translating content into 11 languages — the languages spoken by their workforce — to ensure that every team member understands safety protocols.
• Drive an ownership mindset by making food safety a personal responsibility rather than just a compliance requirement. A food safety culture thrives when employees at all levels are engaged and understand their roles and responsibilities

Training and education are essential to ensure employees have the necessary knowledge and skills to maintain food safety standards.

Practical Guidelines

• Implement mandatory food safety training programs.
• Use real-life case studies and simulations for better understanding.
• Assess employees' competency and provide continuous learning opportunities.

A food safety culture is built on trust and openness, where employees feel comfortable reporting issues without fear of retaliation.

As Necat Kirkil, Türkiye & The Middle East Representative at FSSC, highlighted, transparency remains one of the most critical challenges in the Middle East and Gulf region. Too often, organizations focus on showcasing only the positives while concealing non-conformities, which undermines genuine improvement.

For instance, many retailers claim zero recalls, unlike businesses in more transparent markets where issues are openly reported and addressed. Embracing transparency not only builds trust—it is a powerful driver of a strong and accountable food safety culture.

Practical Guidelines

• Establish anonymous reporting channels for food safety concerns.
• Conduct regular team meetings to discuss food safety issues.
• Encourage a non-punitive approach to error reporting and learning.

In large organizations, especially those operating across diverse teams, cultures, and geographies, food safety culture cannot be built overnight. Achieving meaningful and lasting cultural change starts with clarity and consistency. That’s why it's essential to document and standardize all food safety–related processes, ensuring that everyone, regardless of background or role, understands what is expected and how to act accordingly.

Standardization turns principles into action. By translating food safety values into clear procedures, organizations lay the groundwork for a shared culture rooted in accountability, consistency, and continuous improvement.

Practical Guidelines

• Develop clear Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all critical food safety tasks.
• Ensure alignment with local and international food safety regulations and standards.
• Review and update SOPs regularly to reflect evolving best practices and lessons learned.
• Implement structured planning, monitoring, and evaluation mechanisms to ensure the long-term sustainability of food safety practices.

Ongoing performance assessment ensures that food safety initiatives remain effective and relevant.

Practical Guidelines

• Conduct regular audits and inspections to evaluate effectiveness.
• Analyze food safety incident trends and implement corrective actions.
• Use data-driven decision-making for continuous improvement.

Recognizing and rewarding food safety achievements helps sustain a strong food safety culture.

Practical Guidelines

• Celebrate milestones and achievements publicly.
• Implement incentive programs for employees who uphold food safety.
• Share success stories to reinforce positive behavior.