FSSC 2200, SQF, and ISO 22000 Steering Teams
We use one Team to lead the project and call this the Steering Team. The function of the team is very important.
Responsibilities of the team
This team will meet on a regular basis during the project to complete management tasks, monitor the progress of the project, resolve questions from the other teams, allocate the resources needed for the implementation, and coordinate the design of the new Food Safety Management System (FSMS).
The Steering Team will be made up of top management representing each of the areas of your company. For example, include:
- a production manager
- a quality manager
- an administrative manager
- an engineering manager and
- an executive manager
This will give the team the knowledge and authority it needs to make decisions and devote resources to the project.
The Food Safety Team Leader / HACCP Team Leader / SQF Practitioner, and/or project manager for the implementation project should lead this team. The team leader will schedule meetings, prepare agendas, and collect information to bring to the meetings.
While the Steering Team leads the project, the Food Safety Team and other “Task Teams” will develop processes and document procedures to address the requirements of the standard. The Steering team will review the processes and procedures, and monitor the progress of the Task Teams. Our approach is to set up a Task Team for each Quality System Procedure that needs to be developed and documented.
Team Members
- To determine who will be on the team answer these questions:
- Who has the authority and ability to assign resources to the project?
- Who will be able to decide which employees will be assigned tasks?
- Will they know whether the employees’ workload will be able to accommodate the assigned tasks?
- Who is responsible for resources and can make resources available to the project?
Steering Team Meetings
The steering team will play a key role in developing the overall implementation plan. Items and tasks to address include:
1. An overview of SQF / ISO / FSSC / BRCGS Implementation Steps for the team
2. Explain the Implementation Steps to the team.
3. An introduction to SQF / ISO / FSSC/ BRCGS requirements for the team. If team members are not familiar with the requirements of the standard, include a training session in this meeting. Provide them with one of the following more in-depth training to complete on their own.
If you are using the computer based training program, it would be a good idea to have each team member complete the training before the first steering team meeting. Have each member bring their certificate of completion to the meeting.
Assigning a Food Safety Team Leader
This person will then establish the Food Safety Team according to the requirements in the standard. They are responsible for ensuring that the team has the appropriate expertise, training, and experience for the tasks they are assigned.
Creating Task Teams
FSMS processes will need to be designed, implemented, and documented for compliance with SQF / ISO / FSSC requirements. The Food Safety Team will address some of these, but others that are not assigned to the Food Safety Team will be assigned to Task Teams. For example, Document Control will need to be in place throughout your facility. Establish a team to review your current system, compare it to the standard requirements, make any necessary changes to meet requirements, and document the new process. Use our Procedures, Forms, and Manual to List the teams that you will need in place, and assign team members. Review the responsibilities to make sure that they are well dispersed, and not assigned heavily to one group or one individual. For each team identify a team leader. It works very well to have a member of the Steering Team as a leader for each of the Task Group teams. It provides good communication between the teams and the Steering Team throughout the project.
Determine resources required for the completion of the tasks. Ask:
- Will teams or individuals need assistance with other responsibilities during the SQF / ISO / FSSC / BRCGS project?
- What kind of technical guidance will be needed to allow these teams or individuals to complete the tasks efficiently and effectively?
- Assign dates to Task Teams on a Gantt Chart.
- Stagger start dates according to resources available.
- Estimate the amount of time needed for each task team to complete their work based on the number of resources available to the task.
- Ongoing meetings
- Hold ongoing meetings to review task team progress, assist task teams with resources or removing roadblocks, and to complete the implementation tasks and responsibilities assigned to top management. Put together a meeting schedule.
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