PwC and SSAFE launch free tool to fight food fraud in Malaysia

  • PwC and global non-profit organisation SSAFE release tool for food companies to assess fraud vulnerabilities across supply chains
  • The free online tool helps food companies fight fraud to protect consumers
  • The tool can be accessed online or downloaded as an app – users answer 50 questions to assess their vulnerability to food fraud
  • Launched at the PwC Food Safety Forum, at an event held in collaboration with the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE)

KUALA LUMPUR, 28 November 2016 - Recent food fraud cases have highlighted the need for the food industry to strengthen how it detects and combats fraud across the supply chain. Repercussions to companies extend beyond financial impacts, and can damage trust, reputation and goodwill with customers. 

A new tool developed by SSAFE and PwC – in partnership with Wageningen University, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and food industry leaders around the world – has been designed to help fight fraud and protect the safety of consumers. The tool was launched today at the PwC Food Safety Forum, at an event held in collaboration with the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE), the national export promotion agency.

The free tool is available to all companies, and can be accessed online at www.pwc.com/foodfraud or downloaded as an app on Apple iPads and Android tablet devices. It’s easy to use – users answer 50 questions anonymously to determine their company’s vulnerability to fraud across the food supply chain. A profile of the company’s vulnerabilities will then be given upon completion.

“Fake food is big business for organised crime gangs, and it’s hurting consumers and food companies,” says Bruce Baillie, Chairman of PwC’s Global Food Supply and Integrity Services. 

“Getting food from farm to fork is getting more and more complicated – increasing supply chain risks and making it harder for companies to maintain integrity, transparency and trust.

“Despite how seriously food companies take food fraud, all it takes is one compromised stage – be it sourcing, processing, distribution or retail – for consumers to lose trust in a food brand. Building brand value and trust hinges on a proper strategy, culture and operating model that puts safety, quality and customers first. That’s why building trust goes hand in hand with business performance. Without trust, food companies anywhere in the world will find it difficult to retain a share of the consumer market or even gain a foothold in it.”

The use of this freely-available online tool puts Malaysian food companies in a stronger position to understand how vulnerable their supply chains are to fraud. This helps them proactively plan mitigation efforts that strengthen internal controls to give consumers greater confidence in their food.

PwC and SSAFE’s food fraud vulnerability assessment tool anticipates new food safety requirements being introduced by industry bodies and regulatory authorities around the world. The tool helps pinpoint areas in a company’s supply chain that need to be given immediate focus, so that the right measures can be implemented to mitigate food fraud risk.

Dato’ Mohammad Faiz Azmi, Executive Chairman of PwC Malaysia, opened the forum with a welcome address. The keynote address was presented by Dato’ Dzulkifli Mahmud, Chief Executive Officer of MATRADE.

“Malaysia has strong capabilities at every stage of the food supply chain. Our food companies are known for reliability and high quality products around the world. To further strengthen Malaysia’s footprint in the global market, Malaysian brands must champion food safety and emphasise high quality control when marketing their products overseas,” Dato’ Dzulkifli mentions.

Bruce Baillie participated in a panel discussion themed 'The War on Food Fraud', moderated by PwC Malaysia Executive Director Stephanie Caunter, which also featured several leaders from the food industry.

The globalisation of food supply means contamination can turn up in more products in geographically dispersed locations, quicker than ever before.

“Being able to understand food fraud vulnerability at an ingredient, product, brand, facility, country or company-wide level is an essential first step to ensuring the food consumers eat is safe,” says Mr Baillie. “Equally, it’s important for food companies to take a leadership stand against food fraud and build an organisational culture that reinforces that position to ensure continued business resilience in this disruptive landscape.” 

 

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Notes

About the SSAFE and PwC ‘Food Fraud Vulnerability Assessment’ tool

SSAFE conceptualised and developed the food fraud vulnerability assessment with its members, academic partners and other leading experts from across the food industry 

The tool does not provide specific mitigation techniques, detect fraud or predict future food fraud incidents, but it does provide guidance on how and where to find solutions

The tool will support the food industry in preparing for new requirements requiring food companies to undertake food fraud vulnerability assessments

The tool is freely available for food companies to use and for sharing between people, departments and geographies within an organisation to get a clear picture of vulnerabilities

The tool can be applied anywhere across the food supply chain to assess any ingredient, product or facility for vulnerabilities to fraud; irrespective of the type of food company, its size or geographic location

It is available for use online at www.ssafe-food.org or as an app (for iPad and tablet computers).

About the online assessment

Responses to the assessment are confidential and anonymous, with respondents and organisations not identifiable from the information recorded. All responses will be generalised and allow for aggregated data sharing to support benchmarking, research and in-company reporting

More information about the tool is contained in the brochure ‘Food fraud vulnerability assessment’.

 

About SSAFE

SSAFE is a global non-profit membership driven organisation that aims to foster the continuous improvement and global acceptance of internationally recognised food protection systems and standards through public-private partnerships. What makes SSAFE unique is its focus on driving collaboration between the public and private sector to enhance the integrity of the food supply chain – its collaboration with PwC being one such example of how it is achieving its global vision.

SSAFE’s mission is to foster the continuous improvement and global acceptance of internationally recognized food protection systems and standards through public private partnerships. Find out more at www.ssafe-food.org.

 

About PwC and PwC’s Food Supply and Integrity Services

PwC provides Food Supply and Integrity Services. PwC does not assure the safety of any particular food or the outcome of any food service or process. These materials and any views expressed therein are provided for general information purposes only. They do not constitute a recommendation or advice and are not sufficient basis for any decision to be made in relation to food supply and integrity issues. Find out more at www.pwc.com/foodsupplyservices

At PwC, our purpose is to build trust in society and solve important problems. We’re a network of firms in 157 countries with more than 223,000 people who are committed to delivering quality in assurance, advisory and tax services. Find out more and tell us what matters to you by visiting us at www.pwc.com.

©2016 PwC. All rights reserved. “PricewaterhouseCoopers” and/or “PwC” refers to the individual members of the PricewaterhouseCoopers organisation in Malaysia, each of which is a separate and independent legal entity. Please see www.pwc.com/structure for further details.

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Sarah Lee

Senior Manager, Marketing & Communications, PwC Malaysia

Tel: +60 (3) 2173 0226

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