An industry perspective

TLDR

This sixth article in a Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes issue outlines a comprehensive government strategy to improve food safety standards in hospitality, highlighting the first UAE business to achieve HACCP compliance and conduct a Food Safety Culture Excellence audit. The paper aims to delineate industry food‑safety roles and responsibilities that support government initiatives, illustrated through a new Food Safety Culture Excellence model. A case study demonstrates the impact of auditing the 16 dimensions of Food Safety Culture Excellence in practice. The article shows that the Food Safety Culture Excellence model, with four categories and 16 dimensions, effectively identifies strengths and weaknesses, facilitates continual improvement, and represents the first published and practiced audit of the model.

Abstract

Purpose – This paper aims to outline the food safety roles and responsibilities within the industry that play an important role in the success of government initiatives, demonstrated using a new model of Food Safety Culture Excellence. It is the sixth article in a Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes theme issue presenting a comprehensive government strategy for improving food safety management standards across the hospitality industry. Design/methodology/approach – A case study is used to demonstrate the impact of auditing the 16 dimensions of Food Safety Culture Excellence in practice. The business selected was the first in Abu Dhabi to achieve regulatory compliance for HACCP-based food safety management, and the first to conduct a Food Safety Culture Excellence audit in the United Arab Emirates. Findings – This article demonstrates how the concept of food safety culture works in practice, using the Food Safety Culture Excellence Model with four categories and 16 dimensions. It demonstrates how the auditing of culture within a business can highlight strengths and weaknesses and facilitate continual improvement. Originality/value – The article represents the first published model of Food Safety Culture Excellence, an extensively researched and tested model developed by Taylor Shannon International Ltd. and launched in conjunction with Campden BRI in 2014. It also demonstrates the first audit of the model in practice.