Authored by Thi Phuong Dung Nguyen, Communications Specialist with the Safe Food for Growth Project.

Traditionally in Vietnamese culture, the word “LAN” translates to orchid – a beautiful flower that symbolizes thoughtfulness, refinement, and love. This International Women’s Day, the Safe Food for Growth Project (SAFEGRO), celebrates three women named LAN. These women have embodied their namesake through detailed, organized and dedicated work ensuring food safety that has resulted in the safeguarding of consumers and the people they serve.

Dao Phuong LAN: Prioritizing Food Safety in Preschools

Dao Phuong LAN, Vice Dean of Van Duc Preschool, speaks at the signing ceremony in Hanoi to support selected vegetable and pork value chains. The ceremony was by the Safe Food for Grow project (SAFEGRO) and MARD.

At Van Duc Preschool, Vice Dean Dao Phuong LAN has cared for children with such love and compassion that many former students still visit her. Throughout her career, she has been concerned with food safety. Vice Dean Dao Phuong LAN worried about the lack of traceability of ingredients like pork and vegetables – which could mean that they’re not safe for children. She has also been concerned that teachers and kitchen staff may not always follow safety rules, furthering the risk to her small students and creating a threat to the preschooler’s health. In her management role at the preschool, Phuong LAN felt a strong responsibility to address these issues to ensure every child received safe and nutritious meals, and they have also prioritized reinforcing proper food safety behaviours in the children.

During a recent SAFEGRO food safety event in Hanoi, Phuong LAN emphasized the critical need to ensure food safety for preschools, upholding the highest standards from the source of the ingredients to the moment that they reach the children’s tables. She also stressed the vital role parents play in this commitment, urging their active involvement in ensuring the safety of the food served to their little ones.

Pham Khanh Phong LAN: Ensuring the Food Safety of the Busiest City in Vietnam

Dr. Pham Khanh Phong LAN (second from the right) with the SAFEGRO team during the conference announcing the establishment of the first ever Ho Chi Minh city Department of Food Safety.

At the municipal level, another Orchid is working in the food safety industry: Dr. Pham Khanh Phong LAN, the Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Food Safety. With a population exceeding 10 million people, Ho Chi Minh City has relied primarily on external sources for its food supply – which has caused food safety concerns for both the government and citizens.

Dr. Pham Khanh Phong LAN has led her department to work very hard to ensure the food safety of Ho Chi Minh City during Tet – the Lunar New Year of 2024.

LAN commented in an interview with Việt Nam News ahead of the event.

“We will concentrate on inspections at distribution points like wholesale markets and traditional markets. Alongside inspection work, “ said LAN. “We will conduct communication campaigns to raise awareness of producers, businesses, and consumers on food poisoning prevention”.

Since assuming her position, the Tet (from February 9 to 15, as known as from the 30th to the 5th in the lunar calendar), which usually sees many cases of foodborne diseases, recorded no cases in Ho Chi Minh City.

Dao Hong LAN: Ensuring National Security and Food Safety

Minister Dao Hong LAN of the Ministry of Health speaking at the National Assembly Meeting.

At the national level, there is one more prominent Orchid, affecting national policies related to food safety, Minister of Health Dao Hong LAN.

As the Minister of Health, she has been instrumental in affecting all policies related to food safety. Minister LAN has also overseen the implementation plans for the “Action Month for Food Safety”. In 2023, the focus was on “Ensuring security and food safety in the new situation” through awareness campaigns and clear responsibilities for party committees and organizations at all levels.

During the “Action Month,” authorities intensified inspections and supervision to ensure food security and safety, cracked down on violators, and enhanced government, management agencies, and consumer roles in upholding food safety laws.

Dao Hong LAN is now preparing to oversee awareness campaigns and establish clear responsibilities for party committees and organizations at all levels during the ‘Action Month for Food Safety 2024’, scheduled for April and May this year. Additionally, she will lead important revisions to update food safety policies, including amendments to the Food Safety Law.

In Vietnam, women have played a pivotal role in various areas of food safety from production through distribution, and regulation enforcement. They have taken the lead in a variety of tasks like food inspection and quality control – which have ensured high standards are maintained.

Mr. Brian Allemekinders, Head of Cooperation, Embassy of Canada to Việt Nam, took commemorative photos with the SAFEGRO team, Brian Bedard, Alinea Director of Food Safety and Animal Health, and Do Thanh Lam, SAFEGRO Project Director, on the 50th-anniversary celebratory event Canada – Vietnam in Hanoi.

About the SAFEGRO Project: Funded by Global Affairs Canada, SAFEGRO assists Van Duc commune in building a food safety community where everyone understands their role. Farmers are trained to produce safe food, while preschool teachers and kitchen staff receive training in food safety practices, including handwashing and proper food storage. The team also works on creating a food safety curriculum for kids and involves parents in practicing food safety at home. The good practices from Van Duc Preschool have been shared with 25 preschools in the Thanh Oai district and will soon be shared with 27 preschools in the Gia Lam district. Sound food safety interventions are also implemented at city and national levels.

alinea’s whistleblower policy

1.1 Purpose

The following Whistleblower Policy has been established to provide guidance to Alinea International employees and sub-contractors on how to deal with known or suspected improper conduct within the organization. The objectives of this Policy are to:

Create awareness of the Policy and available whistleblower protections
Act as a reference guide to potential whistleblowers wishing to make a disclosure
Define the structure of the whistleblower system, including reporting and investigation procedures, whistleblower protections, and confidentiality, among others
Improve the communication and transparency in the processes associated with whistleblowing and assure protection against derogatory consequences, namely reprisals and detrimental action
Complement the current communication channels between employees, sub-contractors and immediate managers, and hierarchical channels flowing to the President and Senior Management team
Provide guidance to all parties involved in either whistleblowing or whistleblower protection.

1.2 Scope

Alinea requires all employees and sub-contractors to observe high standards of business and personal ethics in the conduct of their duties and responsibilities. All employees and sub-contractors of Alinea are required to comply with applicable laws and regulations of Canada and the countries where we operate. Any allegations of known or suspected improper conduct or mismanagement of organizational resources will be dealt with in accordance with this Policy, and reasonable steps will be taken to protect those who come forward with allegations. Alinea’s Whistleblower Policy covers both internal and external whistleblowing, and establishes the controls and procedures for dealing with allegations of malpractice, fraud and violations of our code of ethics and/or laws or regulations that govern our operations. This Policy is intended to encourage employees and sub-contractors to report known or suspected improper conduct or mismanagement of organizational resources and to enable Alinea’s Senior Management team to address and correct inappropriate action. It is the responsibility of all Board of Directors’ members, the Senior Management team, employees and sub-contractors to report concerns about known or suspected malpractice, fraud and violations of our code of ethics and/or laws or regulations that govern our operations. This Policy is applicable to all employees and sub-contractors of Alinea International.

1.3 Reporting Procedures

Alinea recognizes the value of transparency and accountability in its administrative and management practices and supports the making of disclosures that reveal improper conduct or mismanagement of organizational resources. Our internal controls and operating procedures are intended to detect and prevent malpractice, fraud and violations of our code of ethics and/or laws or regulations that govern our operations. As detailed in Alinea’s Employee Policy and Onboarding manuals, employees and sub-contractors are encouraged to share complaints and/or concerns regarding ethical or legal violations with their immediate managers. If the employee or sub-contractor is not comfortable speaking with their immediate manager or is not satisfied with the response, they are encouraged to speak with the Gatineau or Calgary Office Managers, the Vice Presidents or, as required, the Chief Financial Officer. All members of the Senior Management team are required to report complaints and/or concerns about suspected ethical or legal violations in writing to Alinea’s Ethics Committee who has the responsibility to investigate all reported complaints and/or concerns. In the event that the complaint and/or concern is about the President, it should be raised by the employee or sub-contractor to their immediate manager or the Ethics Committee who will determine how the investigation will proceed. All reports will be promptly investigated and appropriate corrective measures will be taken if warranted by the investigation. Alinea’s Ethics Committee is responsible for acknowledging receipt of the suspected violation and notifying the whistleblower of the outcome of the investigation. Anyone filing a written complaint concerning suspected improper conduct or mismanagement of organizational resources must be acting in good faith and have reasonable grounds for believing the information disclosed indicates a violation. Personal grievances or complaints related to employment are not covered under Alinea’s Whistleblowing Policy. For cases such as this, employees and sub-contractors are advised to first refer to Alineas Employee Policy and Onboarding manuals when considering a disclosure under the Whistleblowing Policy. Any allegations that prove not to be substantiated and which prove to have been made maliciously or knowingly to be false will be viewed as a serious disciplinary offense.

1.4 Confidentiality

Maintaining confidentiality is crucial to ensure reprisals are not made against the whistleblower. Alinea is committed to safeguarding the identity of the whistleblower and to protecting the whistleblower against detrimental action taken in reprisal for allegations of suspected improper conduct or mismanagement of organizational resources. The Ethics Committee is responsible for ensuring whistleblowers are protected from direct and indirect detrimental action, and that the culture of the workplace is supportive of suspected allegations being made. Any employee who retaliates against someone who has reported a violation in good faith is subject to discipline up to and including termination of employment.

1.5 Review

Alinea is committed to implementing ‘best practice’ policies and procedures for dealing with allegations of suspected improper conduct or mismanagement of organizational resources (as defined by this Policy) and the management and protection of whistleblowers making allegation(s). This Policy will be reviewed periodically to ensure it meets the objectives of relevant legislation and remains effective for Alinea, and may be changed at the discretion of the Board of Directors at any time. For allegations of fraud, securities law, or human rights concerns, or when you are not satisfied or uncomfortable with following the Company’s open door policy, individuals should contact the Company’s Ethics Committee directly.

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IWD 2024 : Three Women Named Lan Leading the way in Food Safety and Security

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