Dharma Foods, Ltd. focuses its activities on the Quality, Food Safety and Authenticity of its products in the marketplace, while also seeking to strengthen an internal Food Safety Culture. These elements are regarded as key differentiators and value drivers for customers, employees and shareholders.

The company considers full compliance with the FSSC 22000 standard, aligned with the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), as well as compliance with customer requirements and all applicable legal and regulatory obligations, to be a priority for the continuous improvement of its Quality and Food Safety Management System (QFSMS).

The priority guidelines for the implementation of this policy are:

• Increase customer satisfaction, the number of customers and sales volume;
• Ensure HACCP validation of all new products and approval of labelling prior to launch;
• Increase the number of qualified suppliers, ensure their evaluation, and reduce the number of associated critical non-conformities;
• Promote active food safety training and awareness programmes for all employees, in compliance with applicable legislation;
• Evaluate employee performance with regard to quality and food safety;
• Increase factory automation and production capacity;
• Ensure compliance with the preventive maintenance plan and reduce instances of corrective maintenance;
• Ensure the calibration of measuring and monitoring equipment within the defined timeframes;
• Maintain the structural conditions of the facilities in compliance with food safety requirements;
• Ensure the achievement of strategic objectives and the periodic review of the management system;
• Continuously strengthen Food Safety Culture throughout the organisation, aligned with the GFSI Food Safety Culture Assessment Model V2.0 and assessed through the continuous evaluation system;
• Ensure on-time product delivery and reduce logistics-related complaints;
• Promote continuous improvement and ensure full compliance with the audit programme;
• Reduce the recurrence of non-conformities and ensure the timely closure of corrective actions;
• Effectively conduct traceability exercises and product withdrawal/recall simulations;
• Reduce the number of non-conformities raised by external bodies and internal audits;
• Manufacture and market safe products, with rigorous control of non-conforming products;
• Ensure effective monitoring of Critical Control Points (CCPs) and Operational Prerequisite Programmes (OPRPs);
• Reduce the number of complaints related to Quality and Food Safety;
• Ensure zero critical food safety non-conformities;
• Ensure compliance with the analytical testing plan and reduce analytical control deviations;
• Ensure the review and updating of HACCP, VACCP (Food Fraud) and Food Defence systems;
• Maintain zero incidents related to Food Defence and Food Fraud;
• Maintain FSSC 22000 certification, as well as B10, Vegan and Fairtrade certifications;
• Optimise the use of energy resources in order to contribute to greater environmental sustainability and a reduced ecological footprint;
• Recognise the importance of social responsibility and commit to managing surplus product donations in an ethical and transparent manner, benefiting social welfare organisations and disadvantaged communities.

Management assumes responsibility for the implementation, review, communication and maintenance of this policy, as well as the structure of the QFSMS, ensuring that the policy is communicated, understood and applied by all employees.

Interested parties include customers, suppliers, employees, statutory and regulatory authorities, shareholders, the certification body, government authorities, business partners, end consumers and Management.

All members of the organisation are committed to complying with these requirements.

This policy is reviewed periodically as part of the Management Review process, ensuring its suitability to the organisation’s context and to the needs and expectations of interested parties.

Elisa Boin
Quality Department
Dharma Foods, Ltd.

Allergen Policy