We are pleased to announce that we have launched a new independent Technical Advisory Board, to provide the sector with the most up-to-date information on legislation, best practice, and future challenges. The team of subject matter experts from across the industry will meet quarterly to share the latest insights from their respective fields.

Meet the Board

Dr Lisa Ackerley CEnvH FRSPH will chair the Board as one of the UK’s leading high-profile food safety experts. She spent 11 years at the Royal Society for Public Health and has held numerous high-profile positions in the industry, as well as winning awards for her contribution to food hygiene.

Joining her will be Darryl Thomson BSc MIH, UKHospitality Safety Advisor, who has a long history of working with Food Alert in his previous role as Head of Safety at Mitchells & Butlers plc.

Julia Wilson MSc CEnvH also joins the Board as former Technical Director at Food Alert and a Principal Environmental Health Officer at  Hygiene Audit Systems, offering her experience in dealing with food hygiene across the industry.

As a solicitor and partner at HCR Hewitson, Kathryn Gilbertson brings a wealth of experience in advising hospitality businesses on health & safety, food safety and environmental and regulatory compliance issues. She’s passionate about safety, is an active member of the Health and Safety Lawyers Association and has been awarded a fellowship of the Royal Society of Public Health and Society of Food Hygiene and Technology in recognition of her contribution.

Su Cacioppo is welcomed as an experienced Board director with over 35 years of experience in the hospitality industry, including 22 years at JD Wetherspoon. She is a member of the operations board and advisory board at Zero Carbon Forum and is skilled in employee relations, people development and environmental and corporate governance.

Sioned Hatcher-Evans is the final addition to the Board as Food Alert’s newly appointed Technical Director. Sioned previously held the role of Head of Safety & Risk at TGI Fridays UK and is a qualified Environmental Health Practitioner.

What will the Technical Advisory Board discuss?

The Board’s scope includes food safety and nutrition, health and safety, but also carbon capture and sustainability, with a dedicated sub-committee for each area. Health and safety concerns for both customers and employees, including Owen’s law and how to display nutritional and allergen information correctly, were the main subjects of discussion at the Board’s first meeting held on January 8^th. Enforcement quality and pest control were also discussed as huge challenges for the hospitality sector – particularly due to cuts in enforcement budgets and increased restrictions, meaning there is less resource available to combat infestations.

What does this mean for Food Alert’s customers and the wider industry?

Here at Food Alert, we know that compliance is a serious challenge for our clients due to the growing number and complexity of food safety regulations. The aim of the Technical Advisory Board is to give advice and guidance based on the latest developments, in a digestible and actionable format.

The Board will meet quarterly, and the sub-committees for food safety and nutrition, health and safety, carbon capture and sustainability will identify key issues, upcoming legislation, and new research in each sector, contributing to Food Alert policies and templates to ensure that they best reflect and assist our clients with the latest challenges facing their business.

Watch this space for articles, whitepapers and webinars from our Board members too, where they’ll be sharing their expertise on new developments in policy and best practice.

To find out more about the Technical Advisory Board and Food Alert, click here.