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Introducing Western Consulting ....

They say as one door closes another one opens…

I am embarking on the next chapter of my career, stepping out on my own as Western Consulting.

After 20 years in retail with Tesco and Asda now is the time to take that experience and skills learnt to work directly with suppliers and manufacturers big and small. One of the things I have loved about my job has been working with suppliers to drive their potential and strengthen the relationship with the retailer. Now I want to work directly with companies to support the development of their plans and help them improve their results.

Gone are the days when quality and sustainability can afford to be the enclave of one specialist department. Collaboration and engagement across all functions is key to ensure ongoing delivery. With the brand reputational risk of headlining food safety incidents or product integrity failures every company whatever their size needs to ensure they live and breathe a quality ethos.

A food safety and a quality culture needs to be lived and breathed throughout the organisation to ensure an eyes wide open approach where good practice is promoted at all times. If it doesn’t seem right, if it doesn’t feel right then it probably isn’t. One of my managers used to say always imagine a customer is looking over your shoulder and would they believe in what you are doing. Every operator, every department – office or factory, should be proud of what they are doing and how they are doing it.

The impact of getting quality wrong is well known and can be measured in terms of customer complaints, enforcement activity or product withdrawals. Controls in place can be monitored and audit results, inspections results and process controls can be reviewed and issues acted upon. However, I would argue the most influential improvement of all is to drive the culture.

Increasingly it is the culture of food safety, of quality and of sustainability that will protect a company from brand reputational damage and that will win business and longer term commitments from customers.

In my previous roles I have been privileged enough to visit many different suppliers and sites and industries and seen best and worst practices and experienced first-hand their cultures and the results of their systems in place.

I can bring a fresh pair of eyes to seeking efficiencies and improvements.

I bring an ability to work at a strategic level with commercial leadership teams and to be able deep dive into a wide range of specialisms as required.

Looking forward to talking to you to understand what your issues are and where I can help. Please also pass my details onto any of your associates who may benefit from my services.

Don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Lesley Western, Technical Consultant

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