Assessing Food Safety Culture: Selecting Methods and Communicating Insights

Lone Jespersen, Ph.D. is a published author, speaker, and the Principal and Founder of Cultivate SA, a Swiss-based organization dedicated to eradicating foodborne illness, one culture at a time. Dr. Jespersen has worked with improving food safety through organizational culture improvements for 20 years, since she started at Maple Leaf Foods in 2004. She chaired the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) technical working group A Culture of Food Safety, chaired the International Association of Food Protection (IAFP) professional development group Food Safety Culture, and was the technical author on the BSI PAS320 Practical Guide to Food Safety Culture. Dr. Jespersen holds a Ph.D. in Culture Enabled Food Safety from the University of Guelph in Canada and a master's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Syd Dansk University in Denmark. She is a visiting Professor at the University of Central Lancashire in the UK. Dr. Jespersen serves as Chair of the IFPTI board and as Director on the Stop Foodborne Illness board. She is also a member of the Editorial Advisory Board of Food Safety Magazine and a member of the Educational Advisory Board of the Food Safety Summit.

Andrew is the Senior Director of Quality Assurance at Loblaw Companies Ltd. In this role, he leads quality assurance by maintaining accountability for supplier approval and performance management, while supporting the business’ extensive product development processes. His primary responsibilities encompass overall safety, quality, and consistency for food and non-food products associated with Canada's largest retail company and its iconic brands. Holding a B.S. degree in Food Technology and an M.S. degree in Food Safety Management, Andrew utilizes his deep knowledge, experience, and commitment to ensure high-quality product standards. He has worked in diverse roles related to food safety and quality management, spanning multiple sectors including food manufacturing, retail, and foodservice, as well as consulting roles for auditing and developing food safety standards. He has also marked his presence in public service through his work in the Audit Branch of the UK Food Standards Agency. Andrew is a Fellow of the Institute of Food Science and Technology (UK) and a member of the Association for Food Protection (IAFP), and he works with the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) as Co-Chair of the Benchmarking and Harmonization Working Group. Andrew is a recipient of the BRCGS CEO Award and the Approved Trainer of the Year award. In 2020, he was honored with the Harold Barnum Industry Award by IAFP in recognition of his dedication to public service and his contributions toward improving practices within the global food industry.

Janet Riley is an experienced communications strategist, professional facilitator, media spokesperson, and trainer. She operates a consulting practice in Washington D.C., leveraging five years leading communications at Maple Leaf Foods in Toronto and 28 years leading public affairs and serving as the meat industry spokesperson at the North American Meat Institute in Washington. Janet has served as the face of the meat and poultry industry in response to some of the industry’s most challenging crises, including the 1993 E. coli outbreak in the Pacific Northwest, the first U.S. case of BSE in 2003, several high-profile Listeria outbreaks, and the 2012 controversy around lean finely textured beef. On behalf of industry, she appeared on news shows ranging from CNN and Nightline to The Daily Show and The Martha Stewart Show, and earned the Quote of the Year from ESPN in 2011. Janet is the author of several articles in Food Safety Magazine, as well as a book chapter on efforts to educate consumers about food safety. She earned her master’s degree in organizational development and leadership at Saint Joseph’s University and her bachelor’s degree in journalism at Northwestern University.

Adrienne Blume is Editorial Director of Food Safety Magazine, a BNP Media brand. She has 18+ years of experience in B2B technical media, including the food safety and quality (FSQ) and energy technology sectors. She manages the editorial content for Food Safety Magazine and its podcast, Food Safety Matters, and also serves on the Educational Advisory Board for the annual Food Safety Summit. She keeps a pulse on trends, issues, and regulatory developments in FSQA by attending and moderating sessions at food industry and food safety conferences worldwide. Previously in her career, Ms. Blume launched and led two energy technology publications (H2Tech and Gas Processing & LNG) and a podcast (H2TechTalk) as Editor-in-Chief at Gulf Energy Information in Houston, Texas. She also worked as Managing Editor at Hydrocarbon Publishing Company in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She speaks and moderates at technical conferences around the world and is published in several industry journals. Ms. Blume holds an M.A. degree in English and Publishing from Rosemont College in Rosemont, Pennsylvania, as well as B.A. degrees (hons) in English and Anthropology from Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri.