Ep. 174. Nuno Soares: Three-and-a-Half Steps for Selling Food Safety

Nuno F. Soares, Ph.D. , is an author, consultant, and trainer in food safety with more than 21 years of experience in the food industry as a food safety/quality (FSQ) expert and a plant manager. He is the founder of "I'm a SLO—Saving Lives Officer" initiative and the author of several books and articles on food safety, namely FSSC 22000 and ISO 22000 Blueprint and I'm a SLO—The Mindset and Framework to Develop a Positive Food Safety Culture. He works exclusively to help food safety professionals achieve a more fulfilled career by improving their knowledge, competencies, and mindset.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Nuno [38:14] about:

• The influence of the late Dr. Bill Sperber, a pioneering food safety scientist, on Nuno's career and the industry at large
• Nuno's new book, How to Sell Food Safety: 3-1/2 Steps to Increase Your Chances of Being Heard, which describes a three-and-a-half-step action plan to "sell" top management and other teams within a company on food safety objectives  
• Examples of conflicts between food safety professionals and other teams within an organization, and the importance of having the right mindset when presented with these challenges
• A four-step evolution that companies will experience in their food safety culture maturity journey, and what each stage might look like
• How a food safety professional can approach the task of persuading top management to elevate the status of food safety throughout the company, and the need to dually wield empathy and authority when doing so
• Examples of how food safety professionals can "sell" food safety to top management by demonstrating return on investment (ROI), and by framing the issue in a way that will evoke emotions and set aspirations
• Actions food safety professionals can take after presenting top management with a food safety plan or goal and being told "no."

News and Resources

News
Latest CDC Data Suggests Stalled Progress Toward Foodborne Illness Incidence Reduction Goals [ 10:20]
Frozen Food Industry Group Strives to Reduce Storage Temperature Standards by 3 °C [ 18:20]
Chemicals from Tires and Roads Detected in Leafy Greens [ 24:21]
BVO No Longer Authorized for Food Use by FDA [ 28:29]

Bob's Food Safety Magazine August/September '24 Food Safety Insights Column
"How is the Revolution in Technology Changing Food Safety?" [31:19]

Interview Links
Nuno F. Soares, Ph.D.
How to Sell Food Safety: 3-1/2 Steps to Increase Your Ch