In our efforts to achieve improvements in food safety and standards, the CIEH works with a wide range of organisations. Working groups may be convened on an occasional basis around a particular topic, or may be established to meet on a regular basis.
A number of groups in which the CIEH is involved are listed below with, where available, links to further information.
Food Standards Agency (FSA) working groups
Local Government Association Groups
Environmental Health Policy Forum
The Environmental Health Policy Forum acts as an advisory body to the LGA. It proposes future strategy and assists in identifying priorities in environmental health policy matters, including enforcement. It contributes to the LGA business plan and provides a means of focusing the LGA on key environmental health policy issues for local authorities.
Food Hygiene Focus Group
The Food Hygiene Focus Group provides technical and operational policy support to the Regulatory Lead at the Local Government Association by helping co-ordinate enforcement and good practice and providing specialist and expert advice.
Industry-led groups
People 1st (www.people1st.co.uk/)
People 1st is a Sector Skills Council (SSC) licensed by government. It is the employer-led organisation at the heart of the skills agenda in the UK for the hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism industries. CIEH is represented on its Professional Bodies forum, which discusses industry training needs and reports to the SSC’s Board.
Non-governmental organisation (NGO) groups
Sustain (www.sustainweb.org/)
Sustain: The alliance for better food and farming advocates food and agriculture policies and practices that enhance the health and welfare of people and animals, improve the working and living environment, enrich society and culture, and promote equity. It represents over 100 national public interest organisations working at international, national, regional and local level. The CIEH is represented on the working group for the alliance’s Good Food for our Money Campaign
Which? (www.which.co.uk)
Which? is a consumer organisation that exists to tackle the issues that matter to all consumers. The CIEH has worked in partnership with Which? on policies related to
Scores on the Doors/Food Hygiene Rating Schemes
European groups
Food Law Enforcement Practitioners (www.flep.org/)
The FLEP forum is an informal grouping of European food law enforcement practitioners. The aims include acquaintance, exchange of information and co-operation between European colleagues to develop confidence and trust in the resolution of practical control problems. It is supported by the Heads of the Food Safety Authorities of the EU Member States. The CIEH provides the secretariat to the group.
Other government groups
Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Date Labelling Steering Group
The DEFRA date labelling steering group works with DEFRA and WRAP to steer policy and draft guidance on the date labelling of foods to ensure they are safe and that sustainability is considered.