SQF Edition 10 introduces a requirement that did not exist before: a documented Food Safety Culture Assessment Plan that is implemented, maintained, and used to drive continuous improvement. Most sites already have pieces of this. Very few have it documented in a form an auditor will accept.
This checklist covers five areas so you can see where your site stands:
- Food Safety Culture Assessment Plan: Whether the plan is documented, measurable, aligned to site risk, and carries defined actions, owners, and timelines.
- Leadership and Commitment: Senior endorsement, defined responsibilities, and leaders visibly participating in walkthroughs and reviews.
- Employee Engagement and Communication: Two-way channels and whether people feel safe reporting concerns without fear.
- Training and Awareness: Role-specific training, culture expectations built into onboarding, and effectiveness evaluated rather than attendance counted.
- Measurement and Continuous Improvement: Defined KPIs, data trended over time, and corrective actions triggered when performance slips.
Most sites are further along than they think. This gives you a simple way to see what is already in place and what still needs documenting.
