Offering reassurance to both the public and the food industry, The Q Mark is an indicator of hygiene and food safety standards, says Irene Collins, MD of Excellence Ireland Quality Association.
In a rapidly changing food industry and an ever-expanding global market, a benchmark of both safety and quality is not just helpful, it’s essential. The Excellence Ireland Quality Association (EIQA) has been at the forefront of this mission for fifty years and the association’s Q Mark logo is widely recognised as a representation of quality and excellence.
A trained chef, with over 30 years’ experience in the catering industry across supervisory, management, and senior executive roles, Irene Collins has seen the food industry from all sides. She took on the role of Managing Director of Excellence Ireland Quality Association in 2008 having been a customer of the association’s for 18 years. Her role involves sharing knowledge, best practice and ‘what works’ with customers on the different Q Mark programmes. “I love the daily interaction with companies who know that excellence is the unlimited ability to improve the quality of what they have to offer and knowing that the audits, assessments and certification services that we provide helps them to achieve their objectives,” she says.
As Irene explains, the Excellence Ireland Quality Association is the proud guardian of the Q Mark. Originally launched in 1978 Q Mark certification has become a byword for reliability and quality for the public. “When a consumer sees the Q Mark logo on a product or service they know that the business owner has quality standards and the customer at the heart of everything that the business does,” Irene explains.
The purpose of the Q Mark for Hygiene & Food Safety standard is to accelerate the growth of customer trust in food safety. “Our aim is to put quality and excellence at the heart of every company’s way of doing things,” Irene says, adding. “The Q Mark suite of standards promotes continuous improvement and the involvement of all employees in accomplishing a company’s goals.”
The EIQA’s variety of Q Mark programmes encompass areas such as Hygiene & Food Safety, Quality Management Systems, Leisure Centres, Nursing Homes, and ABLE – The Q Mark for Accessibility. The Q Mark is awarded to companies following an independent audit in compliance with what’s known as the Q Mark technical standard. “The audit is suitable for companies operating in food business including retail, distribution, catering, hotels and food manufacturing sectors,” Irene explains. “Every company audited has voluntarily opened up its premises, processes and procedures to a robust audit completed by a highly proficient and experienced food safety professional.” It is an intensive process, with auditors looking at things like the commitment of the management team to food safety; evidence that the food safety management system is working as intended; how companies plan and review their own performance, and the standard of the structure and services. “The auditor completes a comprehensive report, which clearly shows companies what they are doing really well (categories include recognising excellence, innovation, and creativity in food safety management systems), identifies any ‘areas for improvement’ and the auditor makes a recommendation,” Irene reveals. “The recommendation is then presented to the certification committee at the end of each calendar quarter. Once this process is completed satisfactorily the Q Mark certificate is sent out to successful companies.”
It is no small feat to receive the Q Mark and to acknowledge this success and level of commitment to quality and safety there is an annual Q Mark awards ceremony. “There is a universal desire for recognition. Not only do companies want to do well, they want to be seen to do well and the Q Mark Awards provides that opportunity and recognition,” Irene says. “The awards are an opportunity for companies who are committed to high standards of food safety to tell both their customers and their peer group from a national stage that food safety management is at the heart of their business. It’s a healthy competitive process for the ‘best of the best’ representing food business operators across the industry.”
This pursuit of excellence has the knock on effect of improving standards all across the industry. As Irene points out, “It is widely acknowledged that high standards of operational hygiene and a commitment to food safety accelerates consumers’ perceptions of food safety and grows customer trust. If a company is fully compliant with the requirements of the Q Mark for Hygiene and Food Safety programme they are operating above the requirements of Food Safety legislation and regulations.”
This year sees the EIQA celebrate half a century of excellence and September’s Q Mark awards celebrate this significant milestone along with the hard work and dedication of the food industry across the island of Ireland. It is also a platform to highlight the importance of good practices across the whole food community. “Reporting Q Mark customers’ success at the Q Mark awards in local, regional and national media often sparks the much needed conversation about food safety,” Irene says. “The reality is that food safety is too big a responsibility for any one person. We are all responsible. The food safety chain is a rather long one, and no matter what part of the food chain you are involved in, you have a responsibility for food safety.”
For more information on the Excellence Ireland Quality Association go to https://eiqa.ie/
ABOUT IRENE COLLINS
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in the central belt of Scotland, deep in the coal mining traditions during the Maggie Thatcher years.
I’ve been known to say…
“If you can read…you can cook! And if you can cook, have a thermometer, and know the danger zone… you can cook safely!”
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I’m often involved in charity fundraising activities but what I’m really passionate about is wood turning
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