1.1. 2017-18 GOALS
GOAL 1. To source ongoing funding to provide for a Chief Executive Officer by 30 June 2018, to manage the day to day operations of FSIC Ltd
GOAL 2. To run a successful Food Safety Week 2017 campaign.
1.2. REPORT
There have not been the dramatic changes to the organisation this year. The organisation remains similar to its 2015 structure when the Food Safety Information Council Ltd (FSIC) became a registered health promotion charity, including the establishment of our board and committees, and in 2016 when FSIC converted from an association to a company limited by guarantee. However, it has been a busy year settling in our structure and increasing the skills and experience of our board, whilst continuing to build our reputation with the media as the national voice for science-based food safety information for consumers.
The most significant risk to the future of FSIC remains the same as at the beginning of this year – we no longer have the ongoing government funding which allows us to have paid position to manage the day to day operations of the FSIC. We continue to work on having funding reinstated and this will remain one of the goals of the council until it is achieved.
The work now has to be done by passionate, committed and wonderful volunteers. All our directors and committee chairs do this because they believe in what we are doing and the future of FSIC. I thank every one of them for their contributions and for their support of me as Chair as we work toward the future of FSIC. FSIC’s directors and committee chairs all have full and busy lives, so they fit in their voluntary work for FSIC when and as they can. This means that FSIC may not always get things done as quickly as it could be done. I call on other members to be as actively involved, so FSIC can achieve even more.
I want particularly to both recognise and thank Lydia Buchtmann, our Communications Director, for her tireless contribution to FSIC Ltd and to reducing food poisoning in this country. Lydia was a founding member in 1997 and is still with us, spreading the food safety message.
I thank those members who have provided sponsorship this year (refer to the Sponsorship section of this report) to assist us with specific projects and campaigns. FSIC has spent that money well and effectively. The massive results from the 2017 Food Safety Week Campaign are testament to this (refer to the Communications Report).
FSIC’s membership has continued to grow, with a tripling of our membership since 2016. Thank you to Duncan Craig and the Membership Committee for their hard work.
We are the Food Safety Information Council Ltd (emphasis added), so the heart and soul of what the company does is provide sound science-based information. This would not be possible without the conscientious monitoring and review of all the material by our Technical Committee to ensure it always includes the latest research and is nationally consistent.
The FSIC is already very well recognised by the media as a reliable source of easy to understand and sound food safety information, however we are not well recognised by the food industry and within government. So, the Board has decided it is imperative that FSIC develops and implements a Marketing Plan. There will be a strong focus for FSIC to increase our recognition and therefore our funding and sponsorship opportunities.
I want to thank all members for allowing me the wonderful experience of being your Chair and for the opportunity to help guide FSIC to be the (recognised everywhere) national voice for science based food safety information for consumers in Australia.
Rachelle Williams
Chair
Food Safety Information Council Ltd
1.1. AWARDS
Winner of the Public Relations Institute of Australia Golden Target Pro Bono Category for the ACT
1.2. 2018-19 GOALS
GOAL 1. To source ongoing funding to provide for an Executive Director by 30 June 2019, to manage the day to day operations of FSIC Ltd.
GOAL 2. Director Education – to implement an ongoing education program for all Directors in governance and their responsibilities and obligations by 31 December 2018.
GOAL 3. To implement a Business Plan by 30 June 2019.