Objective measurement as a starting point
The initiative for the project came from the management team. "Similar to Great Place to Work, we wanted to measure how employees perceive our mission," says Luc Hendrick, director of QA at SA Corman. "Anyone can shout that food safety is important, but we wanted to see that substantiated with data. Only then can you make targeted improvements."
Reliable approach, broad involvement
SA Corman deliberately chose Normec Foodcare as a partner. The scientific basis of Q-DNA gave confidence, as did the clear approach. "The methodology is structured and factual. Normec monitors the process tightly, without being rigid. As a result, everything went according to plan."
The approach provided valuable insights immediately. The response was high, employees from all levels of the organization participated. "That broad involvement provided a realistic picture. We saw where things were going well - think of the high level of professionalism - but also where we could improve ourselves. For example, it became clear that we could communicate our strategy and mission even more sharply internally."
Insights directly translated into actions
The results were presented during the management review in February 2025. Four of the six areas for improvement have since been translated into personal goals. "This is how we anchor the food safety culture in our daily work," Luc explains. "Some results confirmed our gut feeling, others surprised us. But in all cases it gave the right direction."
One note: The final report is strong in content, but contains a lot of data. "For people without a background in quality management, that can be pretty intense," he says.
Looking to the future
SA Corman plans to repeat the measurement in one to two years to see what effect the actions have had and where further refinement is needed. "I give this project an 8 out of 10. It is a powerful tool that gives structure to an abstract topic."
Luc has another tip for companies that are hesitant: "Make sure you communicate well in advance about the purpose of the survey and the design of the questionnaire. And above all, be open to what comes out of it, even if it is confrontational. Therein lies the profit."