1. Food industry associations to play a role in promoting self-regulation of the food industry
Currently, China's food production, circulation, catering and consumption, there are still some relatively prominent problems. In terms of food processing industry, the country's more than 7 million small food processing workshops, stalls, more than 80% of the 10 people below the manual workshop, its processing technology, sanitation, facilities and equipment, most of which do not meet the industry standard requirements. Some enterprises face the temptation of the market and profit-driven, contrary to laws and regulations and the principle of social integrity, the production and sale of poor-quality food, seriously damage the reputation and image of China's food industry. In the food circulation area, the country's food business enterprises more than 3 million, mostly individual businessmen, business management is relatively backward. Some food wholesale markets lack effective means of safety testing and quality control measures, food safety is not effectively guaranteed. In the catering consumption link, does not have the business qualification of small stalls, small catering is even more difficult to count. Such a large number of food production and operation, relying only on the power of the regulatory authorities is difficult to effectively prevent and control the occurrence of food safety problems.
Because of China's food production and operation of low market access threshold, the degree of enterprise intensification is not high, the food safety standard system is not perfect, quality and safety management level is low, China's food safety problems will continue to exist for a certain period of time in the long term. Article 9 of the Food Safety Law provides that "food industry associations should strengthen industry self-discipline, establish and improve industry norms and reward and punishment mechanisms in accordance with the statute, provide food safety information, technology and other services, guide and supervise food production and operation in accordance with the law, promote the integrity of the industry, publicize and popularize food safety knowledge." The Food Safety Law, under the food safety work pattern of "prevention-oriented, risk management, whole process control and social *** governance", proposes that "food industry associations should strengthen industry self-discipline" as a useful supplement to government supervision, and enhance the overall efficiency of food safety supervision through the mechanism of industry self-discipline. The overall efficiency of food safety supervision through the industry self-regulation mechanism. As a social organization that promotes the healthy development of the food industry, the food industry association should further enhance the awareness of the industry's social responsibility. In strengthening industry self-regulation, standardize industry behavior, safeguard the interests of the industry, food industry associations should make a difference.
2. Food industry associations to play a role in maintaining a fair and orderly market order
Food industry associations as the government and food production and operation of enterprises outside the "third sector", both the government, business and market bridges and links, but also food production and operation of the interests of the coordinating body, its role Its role cannot be underestimated. In developed countries, food industry associations assist the government to participate in the management of food enterprises is very common, has shown great social benefits. In contrast, in China, from the perspective of the larger food safety incidents that have occurred in recent years and the handling of these incidents, the leaders of the relevant departments involved in food safety incidents have been held accountable and the directly responsible persons have been dealt with. But in the incident handling process, but rarely see the figure of the food industry associations, hear the voice of the food industry associations.
From the disposal of food safety incidents in China in recent years, the food industry association's role in promoting food safety management is not ideal, and there is still a certain gap with the requirements of society and the public. In the process of food safety incidents, rarely see the relevant food industry associations to organize their own experts on the nature of the incident, the responsibility of the identification, treatment recommendations, rectification programs and other feasibility of the opinion, but also seldom see which food industry associations on food safety incidents to strengthen the industry's self-regulation, the public on the food industry associations in the role played by the industry in self-regulation, the public has raised a lot of questions.
On the current situation of food production and operation in China, the food industry association should give full play to its function of contacting the government, serving enterprises and promoting industry self-discipline, guiding food producers and operators to comply with laws and regulations, abide by the rules and regulations of the trade, and take up the social responsibility of ensuring food safety. On the one hand, we should focus on regulating the food market order, and constantly improve the self-regulatory management system, formulate and organize the implementation of the industry's code of ethics, and vigorously promote the integrity of the industry. On the other hand, we should continue to improve the industry's self-regulatory management and constraint mechanisms, regulate the behavior of members, coordinate the relationship between members, maintain a fair and orderly food market environment, and promote the benign development of the food industry. In addition, the food industry association close to the food production and operation of the market main body, with food expertise, and even familiar with some of the food industry's internal subterfuge. Food industry associations as an important force in food market supervision, should take the initiative as a timely food safety production of irregularities, illegal behavior reflected to the government regulators, and take appropriate measures to strengthen industry self-regulation, safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of consumers food safety, and maintain fair competition in the market order.
3. Food industry associations to play a role in promoting the strengthening of integrity building
People can not stand without credit, industry is difficult to prosper without credit. Good social credit is a prerequisite for the healthy development of the economy and society, is the basis for the orderly and efficient operation of the market. Food industry associations, as clusters and representatives of food enterprises, should play a greater role in guiding, promoting and supervising food enterprises to operate in good faith and fulfill their social responsibilities.
Further increase the integrity of the food industry. Integrity is not only the social responsibility of enterprises, but also the inevitable choice of the healthy development of the market economy. For food production and operation, the most basic moral code is honest and trustworthy. Food industry associations should start from the actual needs of the market economy and the development of the food industry, and constantly innovate the integrity management model, develop integrity building goals, improve the integrity management system, and play an active role in promoting the integrity of the food industry. By publicizing the rules and regulations of the industry, to create a social atmosphere conducive to the integrity of the food industry; by making self-discipline commitment, signing the relevant statement of responsibility, accept social supervision, improve the credibility of the industry; through the industry enterprise failure to discipline, to strengthen the constraints on the member enterprises and norms. At the same time, the food industry associations should be based on the industry's development of new situations and new issues, analyze the industry's integrity building resistance and problems, summarize the successful experience of improving integrity building, and actively promote. The demonstration and guidance role of integrity building, as a strong push to lead and promote the development and growth of the food industry.
Further promote food enterprises to fulfill their social responsibility. Food production and management enterprises as a commercial organization, can not be independent of the public interest, its production and operation behavior must have social significance. Article 4, paragraph 2 of the Food Safety Law provides that "food production and operation shall be in accordance with the laws, regulations and food safety standards to engage in production and operation activities, to ensure food safety, good faith and self-discipline, to the community and the public responsible for accepting social supervision, social responsibility." This requires food production and operation enterprises should not only focus on economic benefits, but also pay more attention to social responsibility. Among the many corporate social responsibility, the most basic and important social responsibility is to ensure food quality and safety. Guaranteeing food safety is not only the foundation of food enterprises, but also the core of their development and growth. From another point of view, the fulfillment of social responsibility of food enterprises can not only stimulate the enthusiasm and creativity of employees, improve productivity and economic efficiency, but also enable the public to learn more about the enterprise, thereby increasing the visibility of the enterprise. This not only creates a favorable external development environment for the further development of the enterprise, but also wins more development space and greater development opportunities for the enterprise.
Whether it is food industry self-regulation or food enterprises to fulfill their social responsibility, are food enterprises and industries to participate in market competition, comply with market rules, enhance the objective need for competitive strength, but also food enterprises and industries to gain credibility from the public, based on one of the main elements of society. Food industry associations should fully understand the importance and necessity of strengthening industry self-regulation and promoting the construction of corporate social responsibility, and effectively take up the implementation of industry self-regulation and guide enterprises to fulfill the important responsibility of social responsibility, to drive the entire food industry to improve food safety, and promote the healthy development of the food industry.
Excerpted from: Xuzhou City Food and Drug Administration Law Enforcement Inspection Division Ju Tsuenpei