RQA, Inc.
Product Safety Begins Before the Recall

Supplier management and business continuity may depend on different teams, but a disruption does not respect those organizational boundaries. When a critical ingredient becomes unavailable, or the only manufacturer capable of producing a product runs into trouble, quality, procurement and risk teams can suddenly find themselves dealing with the same problem.

“We see where those two different capabilities and plans may interact infrequently, and yet they are absolutely integral to each other with respect to how the business can address its product safety and risk management needs,” says Mary Ann Platt, executive vice president at RQA, Inc.

It is an issue Platt has encountered throughout her 50-year career and across functions ranging from quality assurance and procurement to manufacturing and distribution. That cross-functional experience informs RQA’s approach, which brings services across the product lifecycle together rather than treating supplier risk, product safety, business continuity and recall response as isolated concerns.

“We provide services that touch every part of a product’s lifecycle,” says Platt, from initial product development and manufacturing through situations that may ultimately result in a recall.

Seeing Risk Before It Reaches the Market

Supply chain risk is not limited to ingredients or packaging. RQA examines contract and specialty manufacturers that may be difficult to replace, particularly where only one or two facilities can produce a product. The broader question is whether a company can build the product, source what it needs and distribute it when part of the chain fails.

Risk signals can also emerge after a product reaches the marketplace. A consumer complaint may point to foreign material or another quality issue. RQA can retrieve the sample as an independent third party, document it and maintain the chain of custody. It also helps clients optimize complaint-handling processes and escalation procedures so reports involving illness, injury or foreign material receive the appropriate response.

RQA can return to the store where a complaint originated, purchase the same lot and sealed samples and document store conditions. Retail quality audits can also identify packaging failures, breakage, freshness problems and poor product rotation.

Turning a Recall Plan into Action

Preparation matters when a problem requires a recall. RQA develops recall plans and conducts simulations that help clients understand who needs to act, who should be contacted and what steps should be followed. When a recall occurs, it can help shape strategy, communicate with regulators, notify consignees and remove products from stores and distribution centers.

The work can also involve correction rather than removal when regulators approve it. RQA can provide status reporting and documented product disposition, process recalled products from consumers and support the replacement of faulty parts, with all data available to clients online. Its proprietary technology helps field teams deploy quickly, enabling them to reach thousands of stores in a week.

Keeping the Response Current

A recall plan is only useful if the people expected to use it know their roles and have the authority to act. Plans need to reflect current personnel, include backups and be practiced through simulations. Industry turnover can make that harder, particularly when companies are unsure who would make decisions during a recall.

RQA also works with clients to prepare for regulatory requirements before they become mandatory, including stronger traceability and food-safety programs.

The model connects prevention, preparedness and response without requiring clients to use every service. With more than 37 years in business, RQA can provide a specific capability when a client needs one or support a broader response when circumstances demand it. For companies managing product safety, that creates a way to connect risks identified during development with the plans, people and field capabilities needed when those risks reach the market.