Your Assignment, Part I

Reviewing Compliance and the Food Service Industry

The food service industry has many regulations that need to be addressed each day. There are many different aspects to the food service industry, from processing, to transportation, to sales. For this assignment, you will work as a team to develop a compliance plan for Orange Grove Juice's processing, distribution, and storage regulations.

Orange Grove Juice uses handpicked fruit from its own orchards. The orchards are only one hour away from the processing plant. The juice is squeezed and bottled in Jackson, Florida, and sold in grocery stores in the southeastern United States. All juice is guaranteed fresh and cold in the store for customers' enjoyment.

Before you begin to develop your compliance plan, use the questions below to review compliance requirements and expectations. Write out your answers individually. Then check with your teammates to make sure your whole team understands the food industry compliance requirements that will be covered in your plan.

2. What role does the government have in external compliance requirements?

3. Why does the food services industry have heavy regulation?

4. What are the elements of a basic compliance plan?

5. Which government organizations are responsible for regulating the food services industry?

6. Why do you think immigrant labor laws are a part of the food service industry compliance regulations?

7. Name two ways the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for monitoring the food service industry?

8. What are some of the risks of noncompliance with these industry standards?

9. What are benefits of compliance for the food service industry?

Your Assignment, Part II

Creating a Compliance Plan

Now that you have reviewed the elements of compliance plans and the food service industry, work together with your team to create a compliance plan for Orange Grove Juice. Keep in mind the following questions when shaping your plan.

• How will the written policies, procedures, and standards of conduct be implemented?
• Who will be responsible for making sure the company is in compliance?
• How will employees be trained on the compliance standards?
• What tools are in place to communicate to employees, or for the employees to communicate with the managers?
• What internal monitoring will be done?
• What are the consequences of noncompliance?
• What timelines are there for complaints?

Be a team player! Before you start, each team member should identify what skills he or she can add to this project. Organize the group and define what role each person will have. Be sure to apply principles of group dynamics to work effectively as a team.

Your Assignment, Part III

Now that you have a compliance plan in place, it is time to put it to the test. Divide your team in half. One group will act as compliance inspectors and the other will act as employees at Orange Grove Juice. Role play a complaint of noncompliance from a worker during a company inspection, and show how your compliance plan addresses the scenario. The complaint may be related to one of the following issues, or one that your group comes up with on its own:

• Workplace safety
• Employment laws and regulations
• Environmental issues
• Financial concerns
• Product safety

1. Briefly describe the issue that your group will explore during the role play.

2. Address each of the elements below as you role play a compliance inspection. On your own, after the activity, write out a brief summary of how your compliance plan addressed these elements.

3. How was your compliance plan able to resolve the complaint scenario?

4. Did the scenario role playing improve your compliance plan? How?

Once you have completed your project, submit the following to your teacher:

1. As a group, submit one written compliance plan.
2. Each group member must submit answers to the question in Part I.
3. Each group member must submit the compliance monitoring plan summary and response.

Tips for Success

Here are some tips to keep in mind as you write your compliance plan.

• Present your thoughts in a logical manner. Use headings and lists as needed to organize your ideas.
• Check to see if you incorporated all the necessary elements of a compliance plan.
• Do a final edit, including checking spelling and grammar, before turning in your assessment.

Here are some tips to keep in mind as you role play monitoring compliance with your plan.

• Consider the company compliance committee structure, company communication, and follow-up timelines when solving the compliance complaint with your group.
• Consider how each part of the team needs to work together to complete this project.
• Be open to improving your compliance plan. Companies often revise them to fit the changing laws.