Business Continuity Plans (BCP), Risk Organism Response Plans RORP and Product Recalls or Product Withdrawals are connected with how effective and responsive your Traceability systems are functioning. These topics and systems are integral to any food-based business anywhere in the world. 

But, can you place your hands on the last exercise you did with any of these 4 areas? 

And, what is the quality of the documentation resulting from the exercise? 

These are key questions. And these 4 areas are all different – a fact that is sometimes misunderstood. Let us help you to identify the differences below:

• BUSINESS CONTINUITY PLAN (BCP): This is a document that details the plan a business will use in any critical event which will keep the business functioning. This could be, but not limited to a computer system failure, logistics or manufacturing outages, personnel shortages from a pandemic, or loss of bricks and mortar assets due to fire, flood or another major event. *

• MOCK RECALL (Simulation Exercise): An end-to-end practical exercise of all stock and raw materials implicated in a scenario that depicts a real-life recall event.

• RISK ORGANISM RESPONSE PLAN (RORP): A recorded, verified plan that has been practiced in the event of a major biosecurity disease outbreak such as Foot and Mouth (FMD). *

• TRACEABILITY EXERCISE: An exercise to trace a raw material, finished goods, packaging material, or any implicated item throughout its entire journey through the supply chain. Having robust Traceability systems ensures your business can quickly identify and locate product. When things go wrong, as they sometimes can, this ensures your brand’s reputation remains trusted and intact by providing fast, accurate information.

* Exercises and simulations to test the BCP or RORP should be undertaken regularly. Regulatory bodies such as MPI and FSANZ require plans to be verified annually.

A real-life business critical event isn’t something any company wants to go through. But it does happen.  And if it does, the key is being prepared.  Prepared means having an up to date, documented system in place, having good stock control systems and having the team and strategy ready to undertake the task if it arises. 

A Product Recall or Response team is like a sports team – there needs to be practice. And the team requires reserves (back-up) members ready to take over if any of the starting team is unavailable.  The best teams will perform their best if they know the task as second nature.

Any good plan needs a good base and when we are talking about these four subjects your underlying procedures are key.  These are all different topics and need to be treated so in their own right; we cannot stipulate this enough.  While they can be linked, do not get them confused.

Once you have sound processes you need to practice, practice, practice. Common mistakes that can happen, but are not limited to are:

• Too few people holding all of the knowledge
• Practice/Simulation scenarios being unrealistic, too benign, or not done frequently enough
• Exercises not undertaken seriously and/or not documented correctly
• Drills performed with too much warning so that people can schedule them in
• Hard copies of key documents and procedures not being available if internet, computer, phone, or electrical tools are not available

Produco has the expertise to help with every part of your crisis management arsenal. BCP to RORP to Recalls and Crisis Management. Our auditing experience will identify gaps you weren’t aware of. Let us help you to close the gaps in your operations in order to reduce risk and liability to your business.