Interview: Isabel Coronado, Regional Director of Operations for NSF in Mexico

Isabel Margarita González Coronado, current Regional Director of Operations for NSF in Mexico. It is native of the State of Mexico and graduated from agronomist engineering in Agribusiness at Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESMS), right where she completed his Master of Quality and Productivity.

  1. Can you share with us some of your professional experience?

For nine years, I worked in the greenhouse industry where I worked mainly managing and implementing quality and safety management systems, and I was able to implement systems to meet requirements of markets like the US, UK and European Community. I know safety programs for agricultural enterprises since its inception and have had the opportunity to witness the evolution of programs and systems and the requirements of different markets. For 10 years, I have worked with NSF (formerly Davis Fresh, acquired by NSF in 2007) at the beginning I was representing the company in Mexico and later opening NSF operations and acting as an auditor, trainer and eventually managing the operation. I had the opportunity to audit different systems in agricultural and processing companies in Mexico, United States, and several countries in Central and South America and the Caribbean. And then to develop the business of NSF-wide food division in Mexico including audits, certifications, technical services, and training for agricultural, livestock, processor, distributor and retail sector.

  1. What role does Isabel Coronado play in the NSF?

I currently work as a Regional Director of Operations for NSF in Mexico. I’ll handle the business address of the food division of NSF in Mexico.

  1. As an expert in the area of ​​quality management processes, could you tell us a little bit about this concept?

It is not a simple concept. Quality management implies the involvement of the whole company to identify all the processes that lead to the organization to fulfill its mission. This includes the main processes for the final product or service delivery and support processes such as resource management and continuous improvement. It is part of the requirements of customers looking for processes that are designed to meet the customer at the lowest possible cost to the company. When the management system is properly designed, each person knows exactly his role within the organization and participate actively in achieving the objectives and continuous improvement.

 

  1. What would you recommend to those interested in starting to implement a quality approach of processes within their companies?

Everything must start with the commitment of senior management. This is the most important. After reaching the awareness of the benefits of implementing quality management systems and process management, it will be possible to release resources to do so. Human and material resources. It is essential an appropriate structure that support the implementation of a management system. Commitment is like a bicycle chain.

  1. How has evolved the implementation of quality systems processes in our country?

It depends on the industry. There are industries with highly advanced quality and productivity management systems, as in the case of the automotive and aerospace industry, which for years has been a global requirement. For the food industry, the exporting companies have been implemented best practice programs to meet requirements of its buyers several years ago. Some buyers are more demanding about the kind of systems that require their suppliers including management elements. The decision of many global companies to adopt schemes aligned to the GFSI since 2007 in the United States has resulted that many food companies opted for the implementation of these schemes include the management of safety and quality in some cases. Large companies that had been working with management systems based on ISO 9000 quality opted to add safety management ISO / FSSC 22000. The work in these schemes has generated the need to develop better suppliers, because it is a requirement, what which is generating increasingly interest in the food industry by demanding better quality and safety programs. In the industry of fresh fruit and vegetables still applies concerns about the implementation of programs when it comes to export, and it start to see the interest of require safety programs to suppliers of fruit and vegetable processors and local retailers. The evolution towards quality management systems could take several more years, because unfortunately the main motivator for companies to adopt systems so far has been the requirement of its buyers

  1. How is this culture of quality promotes within NSF?

NSF is an organization with robust management systems. The Mission of NSF requires an approach on quality in everything we do because our responsibility is huge. At NSF, our values are very linked to a quality culture. NSF has implemented tools for process improvement in recent years aimed at improving productivity and quality of our services.

  1. Can you share with us some NSF working projects?

We are currently working in various projects related to the improvement of vendor programs in Mexico. These projects excited us a lot because they have a great impact on the achievement of our mission to impact on improving processes more food companies in the country.

A recent project that also has excited us includes suppliers of cattle, which involves supporting another sector in the food supply chain.

These projects have an impact on the productivity of the country’s food industry and gives to the industries best tools to access other markets.

With these projects, we participate in a process of improvement of the food industry in Mexico and the whole team of NSF feel very proud.

  1. What were some of your main achievements in this organization?

The formation of a highly competent team of people who have made ​​themselves known and make known our company to the industry, demonstrating the values of ​​NSF and showing their commitment to our mission of human health care.

9.Do yo want to add Anything else?

It is important to mention the importance of integrating management systems that include all aspects that the company requires meeting the requirements of customers, who today include aspects of quality, safety and social and environmental responsibility.