Special Session
Quality and Safety Are More Than Just Boxes to Check - Protecting Food. Protecting Your Business. Protecting Consumers.
March 25, 2026 at 1:45 PM - 2:30 PM PST • Vancouver Convention Centre West Vancouver, Canada
In today’s global food system, quality and safety cannot be treated as mere compliance exercises. They are strategic imperatives that define brand integrity, ensure consumer trust, and drive business resilience. In an era of complex global supply chains, evolving regulations, and heightened consumer expectations, treating food safety as a compliance exercise is a risk no business can afford. During this session, leaders and experts across industry and academia will unravel the complexities of this concept and discuss how the capacity and desire to change the culture of food safety is a dynamic process. Challenges such as compliance vs. proactivity, extrinsic vs. intrinsic motivation, and the role of data and technology will be discussed. This session will challenge traditional “check-the-box” approaches and explore how leading organizations embed food safety and quality into their culture, operations, and innovation strategies. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage directly with the expert panelists and gain valuable insights tailored to their unique challenges.
Key Takeaways for Attendees:
- Food Safety is a Key Strategy: How embedding food safety into corporate strategy reduces risk, strengthens resilience, and drives growth beyond compliance.
- Moving Beyond “Check-the-Box” Compliance: Treating food safety as a mere regulatory obligation is a high-risk approach in today’s global supply chain environment. The intersection of where regulations, consumer demands and diagnostic tools will be explored.
- Culture Change is Dynamic: Organizations must embed safety and quality into culture and operations, making them intrinsic values rather than afterthoughts. Practical steps for organizations to champion a culture where safety and quality are core business values will be discussed.
- Global Responsibility: Why supporting developing markets is critical—not only to protect vulnerable consumers but also to safeguard global supply chains and brand reputation. How do we influence standardization in these developing regions?
- Transparency Builds Trust: How transparency and accountability translate into loyalty and consumer trust. Perspectives from a Global Food Manufacturer.
Join us to discover how elevating quality and safety from regulatory obligations to strategic priorities can protect what matters most—your food, your business, and your consumers
Moderator:
- Erin Crowley, Head of Global Thought Leadership, Neogen
Speakers:
- Dr. Jeremy Yarwood, Chief Scientific Officer, Neogen
- Dr. Jeff Farber, JM Farber Global Food Safety Consulting; Adjunct Professor Dept. of Food Science, University of Guelph
- Dr. Julian Cox, Associate Dean, Faculty of Engineering, University of New South Wales
- Robin Forgey, AGMM, Food Safety and Quality Assurance, Costco Wholesale
Additional Webinars
