This author often writes about the lack of adequate controls relative to keeping our food supply chain as safe as it possibly can be. Product safety however is a much broader topic.

This author often writes about the lack of adequate controls relative to keeping our food supply chain as safe as it possibly can be. Product safety however is a much broader topic.

I was meeting with a customer in the health care industry recently and he asked me if I could check the SafeSourceIt? Supplier Database for the number of suppliers that could provide bids on catheters. From his desk, it only took me about 20 seconds to identify forty three such suppliers.

At this point we had a conversation about certifications and other standards that he might want suppliers to adhere to. We discussed a variety of ISO standards, and then I asked if there were any environmental concerns or questions he might like to hold suppliers accountable to. He said what do you mean? My response was, what does the University that you are a part of do or support relative to the environment. Are there specific programs or initiatives? We talked about this for a while and came to the conclusion that with everything else being equal that he would use this area as a tie breaker in selecting a supplier if they supported the same or similar programs processes or certifications. We then went back to the database and looked at certifications and environmental support that some of these suppliers had in place.

Ok, you want to know why this is important and how it relates to product safety and food borne illness. We know from recent posts how the actions of individuals at the highest levels of companies can have a negative impact on product quality in the food space. The same issues impact non food products. Authorities are looking for a CEO whose company prepared heparin and saline syringes without insuring they were sterile. These products are believed to have sickened hundreds and killed up to five individuals. Do you believe that if these companies were asked questions relative to their safety and environmental standards that they would have stood the test of comparing themselves to well run companies? Probably not. That is why Triple Bottom Line is becoming so important when analyzing successful companies to partner with going forward.

Among many others, we have peanut products, medical devices, toys, ballpark turf etc. all recently causing illnesses or death. All should require diligence in ensuring that safety and other standards are adhered to. Ask your solutions provider how they accomplish this?

We look forward to and appreciate your comments