It identifies the leadership and values that form an organization’s DNA, and the visible, daily behaviors that ensure food stays safe from farm to fork. By aligning these two tiers, the resource highlights that businesses can move beyond mere compliance to a culture of continuous improvement.

The paper reinforces GFSI’s central premise: food safety culture is not merely the product of leadership or training, but an integration of shared values, behaviors, risk awareness and organizational learning. The paper demonstrates that to be effective, food safety culture must be measurable, actionable and continuously improved.

“Food safety culture is a critical determinant of food safety outcomes – and strong food safety cultures are built through shared values, consistent behaviors and a deep awareness of risk. Too often, food safety is only high on the agenda when there is a crisis, which has to change. In an increasingly complex food system, food safety should go beyond formal regulations to live within the culture of an organization,” said Elizabeth Andoh-Kesson, interim director of GFSI.

In addition to the updated framework, the paper outlines key implications and recommendations for the industry, regulators and certification bodies:

• Adopt an integrated systems-and-culture approach, recognizing that food safety performance depends on both formal controls and organizational behaviors.
• Use the five-dimension framework as a common reference point when designing standards, training programs and assurance activities.
• Assess food safety culture across multiple dimensions, rather than relying on a single indicator or tool.
• Strengthen research and practical work on under-explored areas, particularly the dimensions of consistency and organizational adaptability, which remain less studied in the literature.

About the Global Food Safety Initiative
The Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) brings together key actors of the food industry to drive continuous improvement in food safety management systems around the world. With a vision of Safe food for consumers everywhere, food industry leaders created GFSI in 2000 to reduce food safety risks, audit duplication and costs while building trust throughout the supply chain. The GFSI community works on a volunteer basis and is composed of the world’s leading food safety experts from retail, manufacturing and food service companies, as well as international organisations, governments, academia and service providers to the global food industry. GFSI is powered by The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF), a global industry network working to support better lives through better business.