SAFE Timeline
· 1998 – Pillsbury proposes that National Food Processors Association, NFPA, sponsor a higher quality 3rd party audit process to be used by NFPA Members.
· April 4, 2000 - NFPA, present NFPA Supplier Audit concept to NFPA Board. Key features identified:
o Suppliers save time and money from fewer disruptions – a single annual audit that satisfies most if not all their customers, versus several duplicative audits.
o Processors gain confidence in third party audits coordinated by NFPA and designed, supervised by an industry task force comprised of top QA leaders from participating companies.
o Retailers gain confidence with a first-rate program; potential for them also to rely on this program.
· April 6, 2000 – NFPA Board commissions the NFPA Supplier Audit Task Force. Eighteen companies are invited to participate. Goal is for “NFPA to work with interested third party auditors to establish a first-class supplier audit program that would be accepted by companies enrolled in the program.” Three key concepts identified are:
o Common industry standards and methodology for supplier audits developed and supported by NFPA membership.
o An NFPA coordinated network of NFPA trained and certified independent auditors across the country to enable a cost-effective program.
o An NFPA program coordination capability to manage industry communication, education, training/certification, audit scheduling and evaluate/improve the overall program over time.
· May 24, 2000 – First meeting of NFPA Supplier Audit Task Force. 23 Member companies agree to attend. Task Force continues to meet on a (roughly) monthly basis - with weekly conference calls between NFPA, the Task Force co-chairs, and the chairs of the four working groups - during which the program is developed. Task Force grows to 26 companies.
· July 2000 – Target audience for the program is defined (in FAQ document) as “food processors, retailers, food service and all suppliers to the food industry.”
· October 2000 – First versions of Auditor’s Guidance and Checklist, based on consolidated checklists from eight Task Force companies, issued to Task Force. Audit report is “comprehensive, descriptive” with no requirements, no score.
· November 2000 – NFPA Board approves program design, including Pilot Phase implementation, new NFPA Division, creation of supplier audit Council, hire of program VP.
· December 2000 – Task Force considers “NFPA-Centric” vs. “Free Market” program models, and decides to follow Free Market model.
· February 2001 – Task Force names program “Supplier Audits for Food Excellence” or NFPA-SAFE.
· July 17, 2001 – First Auditor Certification Workshop, in Chicago.
· September 2001 – Prodika selected to develop web-based system.
· October 24, 2001 – First audit completed (in Mexico)
· May 2002 – NFPA-SAFE Business plan identifies “market” as processors, foodservice and retail groups. “Growth will come from expanding the Program internationally to Southeast Asia, South America and Europe.”
· January 2004 – 2004 SAFE Program Focus identified as marketing, gaining audit acceptance by Foodservice and Retail, and International growth.
· January 2004 – NFPA-SAFE changes name to Food Products Association, FPA-SAFE.
· October 2005 – SAFE adopts Standard’s Owner Business Concept.
· January 2006 – SAFE rolls out new software platform for auditors (RAP) and redesigns web page interface.
· February 2006 – SAFE changes the title of the SAFE Council to the Operations Committee and allows non-members and audit companies to participate.
· March 2006 – SAFE re-writes the Policies and Procedures to establish the framework in which a SAFE Qualified Auditing Firm (SQAF) shall operate.
· May 2006 – SAFE adopts Standard Owner business model.
· June 2006 – SAFE, in conjunction with the American Spice Trade Association (ASTA) releases the Spice Audit.
· July 2006 – SAFE release the Customer Web Interface tool.
· August 2006 – SAFE releases the Dairy Audit.
· October 2006 – SAFE writes the Express Audit.
· January 2007 – FPA and GMA (Grocery Manufacturers Association) merge and FPA-SAFE name is changed to GMA-SAFE.
· June 2008 – GMA-SAFE transitions to QMI-SAI Global.