Podcasts
In the Foresight podcast from SCI, Dom Burch sheds light on the evolving landscape of compliance, certification, and supply chains. He speaks to thought-leaders and experts in the field about the changing world of compliance, and how technology, data and insight is allowing innovative companies to improve their impact on the planet, drive up standards. What does it take to meet the needs of demanding customers and keep one step ahead of regulations. Tune in to find out.
Foresight
Episode 7 - Rob Chester
26 minutesIn this insightful episode of the SCI Foresight Podcast, host Dom Burch sits down with Rob Chester, CEO of SCI, to discuss his inspiring journey, the mission of SCI, and the disruptive impact they aim to bring to the compliance industry.
Key Highlights:
Rob Chester's Journey: Rob reflects on leaving a secure corporate career at companies like Tesco, Walmart, and NSF to found SCI. Turning 50 inspired him to take control of his destiny and address systemic issues he observed in corporate capitalism, such as diminishing employee benefits and rigid structures.
SCI’s Unique Approach: SCI distinguishes itself with:
Employee Equity: Everyone at SCI gets a stake in the business after a year, fostering a sense of ownership.
Healthcare from Day 1: Acknowledging the importance of health security for employees and their families.
Flexible Working: Emphasising outcomes over rigid schedules to accommodate diverse needs like childcare.
Disruption in Compliance: Rob highlights the outdated nature of traditional compliance tools and SCI’s commitment to developing innovative solutions that better serve clients' needs, even if it disrupts existing business models.
Balancing Innovation and Reliability: SCI's tagline, “Reliable Partner for Today, Innovative Partner for Tomorrow,” captures their mission to offer stability while embracing forward-thinking approaches. They focus on customer trust and work closely with early adopters who value innovation.
Building Relationships: Rob credits SCI's success with high-profile clients to deep industry understanding, proactive engagement, and a customer-first mindset. He emphasises the importance of personal relationships and maintaining trust through actions like face-to-face meetings and understanding client operations firsthand.
Retention Success: SCI boasts an incredible retention rate, having lost no employees or customers since its inception. This achievement stems from making and keeping promises, recognising critical moments, and maintaining a strong "bank of goodwill."
Vision for the Future: Rob envisions SCI reconnecting the compliance industry with its core purpose: safeguarding lives and fostering innovation. He emphasises the power of storytelling to demonstrate the tangible impacts of SCI's solutions and the need for proactive thinking to stay ahead of emerging challenges.
Advice for Founders: Rob concludes with three key lessons for disruptors:
Be Brave: Challenge the status quo.
Be Rational: Recognise when and where to innovate.
Find Early Adopters: Collaborate closely with those open to new approaches.
Foresight
Episode 6 - Malcolm Catlin
29 minutesIn this episode of Foresight, host Dom Burch catches up with Malcolm Catlin, Project Director at Plant Healthy. Together they delve into key themes surrounding biosecurity in horticulture and the importance of plant health management.
Key discussion points include:
Background and Role of Plant Healthy: Malcolm Catlin shares his journey from food industry roles to leading Plant Healthy. He emphasises the organisation’s formation to address biosecurity by creating the Plant Health Alliance and establishing the Plant Health Management Standard and certification scheme, designed to recognise robust biosecurity practices within the industry.
Biosecurity Threats and Regulatory Frameworks: The conversation highlights significant threats from non-native pests, including ash dieback and Dutch elm disease, and the impact of global trade and climate change. Malcolm discusses the International Plant Protection Convention and other regulatory measures for managing plant imports and exports, stressing the importance of rigorous phytosanitary measures and proactive pest risk analysis to mitigate threats.
Voluntary Biosecurity Measures: The Plant Health Management Standard encourages businesses to exceed regulatory requirements with proactive biosecurity strategies. Voluntary measures, such as pest risk analysis and supply chain monitoring, aim to prevent risks before plants reach borders, offering a framework for consistent biosecurity practices that can reduce costly interceptions.
Future Challenges and Technological Innovation: Dom and Malcolm explore how data-driven technology could enhance risk assessment, helping regulators focus on high-risk imports. The potential of technology in risk management, certification, and real-time analysis is seen as essential for future biosecurity advancements.
Public Awareness and Economic Impact: Malcolm underscores the economic, environmental, and social benefits of trees and plants, valued at £16 billion annually in the UK alone. He advocates for increased public awareness of plant health, positioning biosecurity as a core responsibility within the horticultural sector.
This episode emphasises that biosecurity and sustainable practices are essential in managing the globalised horticulture trade and protecting the natural environment against escalating risks from pest invasions and climate change.
Foresight
Episode 5 - Rachel Lawrence and Dougal Driver
29 minutesIn this special episode of the Foresight podcast, host Dom Burch kicks off Grown in Britain Week with an in-depth conversation featuring Rachel Lawrence and Dougal Driver from Grown in Britain. As this year’s Grown in Britain Week begins, they celebrate certificate holders and explore the innovations driving sustainable forestry in the UK. Rachel and Dougal dive deep into the challenges and opportunities surrounding British woodlands, focusing on the importance of certification in fostering consumer trust and ethical choices in timber procurement.
Key themes include the need to reduce the UK's reliance on imported timber, with Dougal pointing out that "we need to be more self-sufficient" by managing under-utilised UK woodlands more effectively. They also explore how technology, such as remote sensing and drones, is revolutionising forest management. "The ability to see more, more quickly, more forensically, has got to be a good thing," Dougal explains as he highlights the role of cutting-edge tools in identifying risks and improving woodland health.
Rachel emphasises the role of consumers and retailers in making sustainable choices, particularly during Grown in Britain Week, which is themed around "creating change through certification and collaboration." She encourages listeners to make informed decisions about their timber purchases, stating, “Consumers can make a difference with their choices of timber products, and demand that they know the product...is sustainable and from the UK.”
The episode also touches on the ethical questions surrounding timber importation, with Dougal arguing that “beyond and above regulation, what right do we have to demand natural resources from another country when we neglect having that same product available here?” The conversation expands into public education, with Rachel drawing parallels to the early days of the organic food movement, stressing that "there's a big educational message that needs to get out there about what's right and what's wrong" when it comes to sustainable timber.
This episode offers valuable insights into how Grown in Britain is paving the way for a prosperous future for British timber, emphasising the importance of collaboration, education, and innovation. Released on the first day of Grown in Britain Week, this is a must-listen for anyone passionate about forestry, sustainability, and supporting local woodlands.
Tune in now to learn how you can make a difference by supporting British woodlands and making ethical timber choices!
Foresight
Episode 4 - Anje van Wyk
22 minutesIn this episode of the Foresight podcast, host Dom Burch speaks with Anje van Wyk, Scheme Manager at Supply Chain Insights (SCI). Anje shares her journey from a finance background to becoming a key figure in the food industry, emphasising the importance of compliance and auditing in African agriculture, food manufacturing and retail.
The discussion covers several key themes:
Journey into Compliance and Auditing: Anje details her transition from finance to the food industry, highlighting the skills and knowledge she acquired along the way.
Challenges in African Agriculture: The conversation explores the unique challenges African farmers face, particularly in meeting international standards for exports.
Opportunities and Growth in Africa: Anje expresses her excitement about the potential for growth in Africa, emphasising the continent's readiness to adopt new technologies and improve efficiency.
The Importance of Personal Relationships in Business: Anje underscores the value of building strong, personal relationships with clients as a core aspect of her work.
Vision for the Future: Looking ahead, Anje discusses her ambition to build a strong team in Africa that can serve both the continent and the world, focusing on mentorship and personal growth.
This episode provides valuable insights into the complexities and opportunities within the African agricultural sector, as well as Anje’s vision for the future of SCI in the region.
Foresight
Episode 3 - Kay Bott
24 minutesIn this episode of the Foresight podcast, host Dom Burch interviews Kay Bott, the Integrity Director at Supply Chain Insights (SCI). Kay shares her extensive background in food technology and quality management, highlighting her diverse experience across various food sectors, including her roles at Lyons Bakery (now Kipling's) and NSF.
Kay discusses her journey to SCI and her current role, which involves overseeing food safety, quality management systems, and accreditation. She emphasises the importance of mentoring and empowering employees, aligning with SCI's flexible and customer-focused approach.
SCI is known for its unique culture, featuring a flat organisational structure that encourages open communication and innovation. Kay highlights the benefits of this environment, stating, "We do have that open conversation. And nobody's wary about making open remarks. And that's fantastic."
The conversation also touches on the role of AI and other technologies in enhancing food safety and quality management. While recognising the benefits of these advancements, Kay stresses the need to balance them with human expertise.
Additionally, Kay explains how SCI's ability to scale and operate globally, drawing on a diverse pool of experts, provides significant advantages for their clients. She mentions, "We have availability of people all around the world...with lots of different expertise. There's nothing we can't do."
Tune in to learn more about Kay's insights on food safety, SCI's innovative culture, and the future of quality management.
Foresight
Episode 2 - Dave Walker
28minutesDave Walker is chief agriculture officer for Supply Chain In-sites (SCI), in this podcast with Dom Burch they discuss Dave's career transition, the role of remote auditing in agriculture, and future trends in the industry.
Career Background and Transition:
Dave shares his journey from being born into a farming family to eventually leading the agriculture division at SCI. His diverse experiences include working on his family's farm, joining the police force, and transitioning to agriculture auditing and certification. His background gives him a unique perspective and empathy towards farmers, which he finds invaluable in his current role.
Remote Auditing:
Dave highlights the innovation of remote auditing, which became a necessity during the COVID-19 pandemic. He played a significant role in establishing remote audits in agriculture, demonstrating that compliance could effectively be assessed via video links. This adaptation allowed for continuous monitoring and maintained standards despite the challenges posed by the pandemic.
Future Trends and Sustainability:
Looking towards the future, Dave discusses the importance of environmental sustainability in agriculture. He notes the industry's slow pace of change and the need for consistent metrics to measure and demonstrate improvements effectively. The discussion also touches on the potential benefits of AI in monitoring animal health, which could lead to earlier interventions and better welfare outcomes.
Trust and Compliance:
Dave emphasises the importance of building trust with customers through transparency and honest communication. He believes in being a partner rather than just a service provider, which helps in understanding and meeting customer needs more effectively.
Foresight
Episode 1 - Shaun Kokott
22 minutesIn the Foresight podcast's debut, Dom Burch hosts Shaun Kokott, an SCI retail and manufacturing expert, shedding light on the evolving landscape of compliance, certification, and supply chains.
Shaun's journey from South Africa to the UK showcases his extensive background in food safety, quality, regulatory, and compliance across various sectors including FMCG, food production, and certification.
A central theme Shaun discusses is the dramatic shift in food fraud over the past two decades. He highlights the sophistication of fraud, where criminals have migrated from traditional illicit activities to the food sector, producing substandard goods or mislabeling products to exploit market value. An example given is the substitution of sugar syrup for honey.
This shift underscores the need for stringent industry vigilance and technological advancements to combat fraud and improve product traceability.
Shaun emphasises the transformative role of technology in the food industry, particularly in enhancing traceability and auditing processes. He shares an example of a fish site in Grimsby that exemplified unprecedented traceability efficiency, underscoring the potential of technology to streamline operations and ensure food safety.
The conversation also touches on the concept of "earned trust," advocating for a shift from traditional, time-bound audits to continuous, transparent processes that facilitate trust and compliance throughout the supply chain.
Shaun elaborates on SCI's focus on sustainability and CSR, particularly in helping retailers in Asia develop low carbon options for their products. He mentions engaging directly with farms to measure and improve carbon footprints, reflecting SCI's proactive stance in addressing global sustainability challenges.
Shaun's insights into the future of the food industry focus on combating food fraud and ensuring the health and safety of consumers through advancements in technology and stricter supply chain control. He stresses the importance of authentic, nourishing food and the role of AI in enhancing supply chain traceability and reducing fraud.
This episode not only showcases Shaun's expertise and SCI's innovative projects but also reflects on the broader implications for the food industry's future, emphasising the necessity of embracing technology and innovation to address contemporary challenges.