How we work
The FSA provides advice and information to the public and Government on food safety from farm to fork, nutrition and diet. It also protects consumers through effective food enforcement and monitoring.
What we do:
As a Government department, independent regulator and consumer protection body, we use the best available evidence and work with:
- Business from farm to fork to help them keep consumers safe
- Local authorities and other food law enforcement bodies to help them take proportionate, timely and resolute action
- Consumers to provide reliable and up to date information to help them make healthy choices about food
Our values:
Everything we do reflects our vision of Safe food and healthy eating for all
- putting the consumer first
- openness and independence
- Science and evidence-based
Our principles in practice:
As an organisation, employer and as individuals we value:
- Honesty, objectivity and integrity
- Striving for continuous improvement, efficiency and effectiveness
- Diversity, cooperation and respect
How is the FSA independent?
Although the FSA is a Government agency, it works at 'arm's length' from Government because it doesn't report to a specific minister and is free to publish any advice it issues.
How is the FSA structured?
The Agency is led by a Board that has been appointed to act in the public interest and not to represent particular sectors. Board members have a wide range of relevant skills and experience.
Our UK headquarters are in London, but the Agency also has national offices in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Meat Hygiene Service is an Executive Agency of the Food Standards Agency.
Who is the FSA accountable to?
We're accountable to Parliament through Health Ministers, and to the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland for its activities within their areas.
How does the FSA make its decisions?
We base our decisions and advice on the best evidence available. And we aim to ensure that our decision-making process is as open and transparent in as possible.
Whenever possible, we seek the views of interested parties before reaching conclusions, and always explain the reasons for its decision and advice in a straightforward manner.
The Agency also obtains independent expert advice from its scientific advisory committees and commissions research to support its functions.
Strategic aims
Our strategic plan 2005-10 has as its key aims:
- to continue to reduce foodborne illness
- to reduce further the risks to consumers from chemical contamination including radiological contamination of food
- to make it easier for all consumers to choose a healthy diet, and thereby improve quality of life by reducing diet-related disease
- to enable consumers to make informed choices
Related links
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Origins of the Food Standards Agency
The background and key steps to the formation of the Food Standards Agency
Openness
Openness is one of the core values of the Food Standards Agency.
Risk
A great deal of our work depends on understanding and dealing with risk. In this statement we describe how the Agency proposes to approach risk issues, so that everybody who may be affected by our decisions can understand our way of working.
Strategic and Corporate Plans
The 'Strategic Plan to 2010' sets out what the Agency wants to achieve over the next three years. The annual Corporate Plan shows the short-term goals and milestones against which we will measure and report our progress.
Freedom of Information
From 1 January 2005 the general right of access to information held by public authorities comes into force under the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
General Objectives and Practices
This page links to the final text of the Statement of General Objectives and Practices. The statement laid before Parliament and the devolved assemblies and approved by health ministers in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
Chief Executive and Director profiles
This section contains information about the Food Standards Agency Chief Executive and Directors. You can also access a more detailed chart of the various divisions in the Agency.
Complaints
Complaints and compliments about the Food Standards Agency.
Race Equality
This document outlines the Race Equality Scheme and Action Plan for the FSA. It is not intended to be a definitive guide for staff. A separate briefing outlining what staff need to do to ensure that they are meeting the requirements of the Act will be produced.
Procurement
The Food Standards Agency buys in goods, services and works using a competitive process wherever possible, in line with public sector and European Union (EU) policy requirements. Its aim is to achieve value for money, which is viewed as the 'most economically advantageous tender', to meet the needs of the user.
Sustainable development
The Agency's remit is to protect the interests of consumers in relation to food, now and in the future. In doing so the Agency will take sustainable development into account in all of its activities and policy decisions.
Dean Review
The Agency's Board welcomed unreservedly the report from Baroness Brenda Dean of Thornton-le-Fylde following her independent review of the Agency's performance since it was set up in April 2000. Baroness Dean has made 22 constructive recommendations, all of which have been accepted by the Board.
Stakeholder forums
The aim of the Forums is to enable the main consumer organisations, pressure groups, industry and enforcement authorities to raise matters of broad concern with the Agency on an informal basis. They will be held twice a year.
Our standards
The Government is committed to improving public services and making them more responsive to their users. These standards set out the level of service you can expect from the Food Standards Agency.
Sheila McKechnie Award
This award scheme is made annually to community food initiatives to commemorate the contribution that Dame Sheila McKechnie made in helping to set up the Agency.
The FSA and the European Union
The Food Standards Agency represents the UK Government on food safety and standards issues in the European Union. We are also involved in the nutrition and health agenda at a European level.
Concordats
Concordats are agreed frameworks for co-operation between the Food Standards Agency and other Government departments and public bodies.
Welsh Language Scheme
This Scheme, prepared in accordance with the Welsh Language Act 1993, provides the Food Standards Agency with a further platform on which to continue building its commitment to putting the consumer first.
Advisory Committee on Consumer Engagement
The ACCE will meet twice a year and report annually to the FSA Board. As well as reporting on the effectiveness of the FSA’s consumer engagement, it will make recommendations for the strengthening of its engagement processes.
Annual Public Appointment Plan
The Food Standards Agency is currently solely responsible for six public bodies, all of them advisory committees. The Annual Appointments Plan includes the Agency's public appointments objectives for 2007/08 and details of appointments and re-appointments made between 1 April 2007 and 31 March 2008.
Disability Equality Scheme
The FSA has published an improved Disability Equality Scheme. This explains how we are going to build on our work to promote equality for disabled people up to the end of 2009.
Gender equality
The Gender Equality Duty came into force on 6 April 2007. It requires public authorities to promote gender equality and eliminate sex discrimination.
International relations
With the diverse range of foods from around the globe available to people in the UK and with free trade and markets within the European Union, the Food Standards Agency aims to ensure that imported foods meet the required UK standards, in order to protect the safety and interests of the consumer.