Mentoring Support
SFQC helps food and farming businesses across the UK meet food certification and other business requirements. We have been involved in SALSA since the early stages; working with a number of partner organizations during 2006 - 2007 to develop the SALSA standard and then pilot it with 15 producers in Scotland. These businesses in Arran, Dumfries and Galloway and the Shetland Isles were the first in the UK to be mentored, and then achieve SALSA certification.
SFQC continues to be actively involved in the development of SALSA via its membership of the governance board, and supporting Scottish business toward first audit via professional mentoring.
We now have in place a number of programmes to help food and drink producers achieve SALSA certification. This enables businesses to prepare for audits with the benefit of an industry mentor. The mentors/advisers retained by SFQC are technically qualified, experienced and independently registered with the Institute of Food Science and Technology. You can see industry feedback on our mentoring here.
Scottish Government supported mentoring, in collaboration with Scotland Food and Drink and SOPA
SFQC has obtained funding support from the Scottish Government's Marketing Development Scheme for quality assurance mentoring. This mentoring aims to support any type of food or drink producer wishing to achieve recognised certification to an accredited quality assurance scheme such as SALSA. Companies pay only £500 + VAT to access up to 3 days of pre-audit mentoring. That's just £167 + VAT per day.
Reduced rate for members!
Members of Scotland Food and Drink are entitled to get the above mentoring for £350 + VAT for up to 3 days of support, as part of their membership benefits package.
To access this mentoring support please contact:
Hazel Gordon, SALSA Technical Support Manager.
Direct Dial: 07712 575905 Email: hazel.gordon@sfqc.co.uk
To find out more about membership of Scotland Food and Drink click here.
SEAFISH
SEAFISH has teamed up with SFQC to offer its Scottish members free pre-audit mentoring. Typically 2 days worth of free mentoring and advice are on offer for seafood processing businesses interested in applying for SALSA certification for the first time.
For more information on this support contact:
Richard Wardell, Sea Fish Industry Authority
Tel: 01472 252322 or 07590 774878
Email: R_Wardell@seafish.co.uk
Highlands and Islands Enterprise
HIE are continuing to support a number of their key business work towards SALSA certification in recognition of the potential market opportunities that can arise.
For more information on the support available from HIE, businesses should contact their account manager. See http://www.hie.co.uk/ for area office details.