The Safe to Trade protocol explained: how the scheme is delivered

Hosted by:  Kelvin Wood, Certification Body Manager for Safe to Trade at Shield Safety Group

Joined by: Jane Cull, Safe to Trade Scheme Manager; Geoffrey Podger, Chair of the Independent Governance Board and Selvarani Alai, Chair of the Impartiality Committee at Shield Safety Group

Overview

This webinar offers a deep dive into the Safe to Trade protocol, explaining how the scheme is governed, how impartiality is maintained, and how certification decisions are made. The session outlines the structure, oversight, and operational safeguards that ensure Safe to Trade remains a trusted certification scheme for food safety and health & safety in the hospitality sector

Governance, Impartiality, and Protocols Explained

Discover why Safe to Trade isn’t just another certification but a rigorously governed, independently audited protocol designed to give food businesses the credibility they need and consumers the confidence they deserve. 

Key Insights from the Webinar
Viewers will gain valuable knowledge on:

• Scheme Governance: How the Independent Governance Board (IGB) oversees the scheme’s development, monitors performance, and ensures long-term credibility through strategic review and stakeholder feedback.
• Protocol Structure: A 50-page Safe to Trade protocol which covers how audits are conducted, certification decisions are made, and public registers are maintained with transparency and integrity.
• Audit Consistency: Why audits are unannounced and tailored to business complexity, with over 80 standard clauses split into legal requirements and best practices. 
• Impartiality Safeguards: How conflicts of interest are actively managed, with auditors trained in impartiality and oversight provided by the Impartiality Committee chaired by Selvarani Alai.
• Public Register & Feedback: How the Safe to Trade Register is updated and how it triggers investigations when issues arise to ensure only compliant businesses remain listed.
• Regulatory Alignment: How anonymised data is shared with regulators to support smarter inspection prioritisation, complementing the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme and paving the way for national inspection plan integration.

Expert Perspective

Our panel of experts brings together regulatory, scientific, and operational expertise. Geoffrey Podger offers insights from his leadership at the Food Standards Agency and European Food Safety Authority. Jane Cull explains the scheme’s operational mechanics, while Selvarani Alai highlights impartiality controls and committee oversight. To provide an all-round view of the scheme, how it’s built and the benefits this approach offers businesses.

Who Should Watch
This webinar is essential for:

• Food Business Operators:  Learn how Safe to Trade certification can enhance your brand credibility, demonstrate compliance with food safety and health & safety standards, and provide public recognition through the Safe to Trade Register.
• Hospitality Managers and Operational Leads: Understand how unannounced audits, impartial oversight, and best practice benchmarks can help streamline compliance across multiple locations and reduce operational risk.
• Regulators and Environmental Health Officers:  Discover how Safe to Trade supports inspection prioritisation through anonymised data sharing and complements the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme with additional layers of assurance.
• Quality Assurance and Compliance Professionals: Gain insight into how the scheme’s 50-page protocol governs audit consistency, impartiality safeguards, and certification decision-making.
• Certification Bodies:  Explore the scheme’s impartiality framework, auditor competency requirements, and governance structure to understand how Safe to Trade maintains trust and transparency.

Watch the Full Webinar

Watch the full webinar to understand how Safe to Trade maintains trust through robust governance, impartial certification, and transparent protocols.