World Food Safety Day is celebrated annually on 7th June to draw attention and mobilize action to prevent, detect and manage foodborne risks and improve human health. Alinea joins the international community in recognizing it today and commits to continuing to improve community awareness.

With an estimated 600 million cases of foodborne illnesses annually, unsafe food is a threat to human health and economies. It disproportionately affects vulnerable and marginalized people, especially women and children, populations affected by conflict, and migrants. Foodborne parasitic diseases cause acute and chronic health problems in more than 25 million people annually. Children under 5 years-old are at a higher risk of malnutrition and mortality due to unsafe food and carry 40% of foodborne disease burden. Unsafe food causes one in six deaths from diarrhea, a major killer in this age group. Collaboration between governments, producers and consumers is needed to help ensure food safety and stronger food systems.

In Vietnam, Alinea is pleased to have the Safe Food for Growth project (SAFEGRO) which improves food safety in Vietnam by working with the national and regional governments, private sector suppliers and consumers. Funded by Global Affairs Canada, Alinea is managing this five-year, $12.8M CAD project with key international and national partners, including the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), and universities in Vietnam .

Reducing consumption of unsafe food

In Vietnam, as with many other low- and middle-income countries, consumers are reluctant to or cannot afford to pay a premium for safer food, the demand for which is transmitted to the producers. Nor do consumers believe much of the food safety information currently available to them. Unsafe food containing harmful bacteria, viruses, fungi or chemical contaminants cause more than 200 acute and chronic diseases, ranging from diarrhea to cancer. It also creates a vicious cycle of illness and malnutrition, particularly affecting infants, young children, elderly and the sick. Chemical contamination can lead to acute poisoning or chronic conditions, such as cancer.

Alinea is working with government partners and producers through SAFEGRO to provide access to safer food, build consumers’ trust and enforce food safety regulations. SAFEGRO is working with poor farmers and other value chain actors to increase the competitiveness of Vietnamese food products domestically and internationally, while empowering consumers to increase the demand for safe and affordable agri-food in Vietnam.

“Food safety is everyone’s business”

Under the slogan “Food safety is everyone’s business”, the action-oriented campaign promotes global food safety awareness and calls upon countries and decision makers, the private sector, civil society and the general public to take action. The SAFEGRO project has been supporting modernization of the regulatory environment, good agriculture practices, and safer markets. Safer food is a shared responsibility among governments, producers and consumers.

SAFEGRO supports the improved capacity of government agencies, at the national and sub-national level, to align with international standards to enhance a risk-based approach to safe produce along targeted value chains supplying Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. The project will improve the traceability of agri-food products from the farm and private sector suppliers through to the consumer. Education and awareness raising, particularly among women, will emphasize the right to access affordable, safe food in selected provinces and cities in Vietnam.

Starting with World Food Safety Day, we hope to play a role in keeping food safe from farm to table every day of the year for consumers in Vietnam.

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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World Food Safety Day: Everyone is a food safety risk manager