Small%20Business%20Schemes

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• Small Business Schemes
• Chris Grimes, SALSA Scheme Director

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Landscape

• The gap between legal requirements and industry
  best practice is getting wider but the average
  size of UK food producers is getting smaller
• as defined by BRC Global Standard

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Evolution of FS standards and schemes

• Pre 1995 large food buyers had own audit
  standards
• 1995 Emergence of 3P standards (EFSIS, TLC etc)
• 1999 First issue of BRC Technical Standard
• 2002 CBs abandoned branded standards with BRC
  Issue 3
• 2005 EFSIS and CMi introduced their own SME
  standards
• 2005/6 BRC, IFST and other food industry
  stakeholders began discussing the need for an SME
  Audit Standard.
• 2007 SALSA launched as BRC alternative for
  smaller producers

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SALSA Origins

• Start-up funding from government agencies
• DEFRA, FSA, Scottish Enterprise
• Joint Venture between four industry partners
• NFU, FDF, BRC and BHA
• IFST appointed as scheme operator
• Self-funding, not-for-profit organisation
• Aim was to be a reliable, affordable and
  effective food safety certification scheme for
  small and micro producers with wide
  recognition by UK food purchasing community

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Wide Recognition
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Other standards and schemes

• Some Buyers still conduct first party audits
• Eg Tesco, MS
• Commercial third party standards
• EFSIS Safe Legal
• CMi Due Diligence
• Membership schemes such as
• HEFF Hygiene and Food safety Standard
• Online/desktop certification products
• SOFHTe

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SALSA growth 2007-2011
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Key Numbers September 2011
Registered Suppliers 2,246 Registered Buyers
838 Current Members 766 Current
Approved 401 Micro Businesses
gt70
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Why is SALSA in demand?

• More Buyers sourcing local food
• Buyers need certification for due-diligence
• New food businesses are micro and small
• Fewer medium and large suppliers in UK
• Micro businesses need help to achieve standards
• Traditional audit approach verifies compliance
• Certification must be affordable to micro
  businesses
• UK food drink purchasing community want SALSA

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SALSA addresses the market

• A scheme (not just an audit standard)
• Provides support resources for members
• Advice and mentoring integral to the audit
  process
• Affordable to small and micro businesses
• Credibility without UKAS accreditation
• Support from UK food drink purchasing community
• Easy to fund (where funding available)

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Funding for SALSA mentoring
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Scheme Structure

• Standard
• Pitched between legal requirements and BRC
• Suitable for micro (lt10) and small (lt50)
  producers
• Best practice expectations of industry
  stakeholders
• Guidance
• Compliance to standard
• Tools Tips for individual requirements
• Self-assessment toolkit
• Mentor network (67 across UK)
• Information
• Directory provides local sourcing tool for buyers
• Guidance, support and funding for suppliers
• News, local events, bulletins and updates

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Scheme Resources

• Centrally
• Co-ordination and allocation of resources
• Membership payments and administration
• Member helpline
• Website maintenance
• Locally
• 67 Mentors, of which 54 Auditors
• All approved through IFST-RPFAM
• Sector specific approval for mentoring and
  auditing
• Compulsory training and CPD workshops
• Participation in resource developments

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Analysis of schemes impact

• Mentoring
• Suppliers perform better on audits if mentored
• Suppliers report positive experiences
• Mentors are independent, local and sympathetic
• Auditing
• Approach preparing the supplier action plan works
  well
• Auditors look for compliance and improvement
• Most suppliers demonstrate improvements
• Due-diligence
• Increased recognition among enforcement officers
• Included in FSA earned recognition study

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Recent Developments

• Detailed Tools Tips for members
• Developed by Mentors
• HACCP Training Qualifications
• Developed by Mentors
• Levels 1 and 2
• Regulated through Ofqual
• IFST Accredited

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What next for SALSA?

• Improved guidance and online resources
• Improve access to mentors
• Improved directory tools for buyers
• Provide additional relevant services
• Platform for continuous improvement
• Foundation for growth and progress to BRC

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• www.salsafood.co.uk