Hygiene training is the real thing for Coke

Citation

(2008), "Hygiene training is the real thing for Coke", Industrial and Commercial Training, Vol. 40 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/ict.2008.03740dab.005

Hygiene training is the real thing for Coke

Article Type: Notes and news From: Industrial and Commercial Training, Volume 40, Issue 4.

A hygiene-training initiative developed for Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE) technical representatives who maintain, install and service drink-dispensing equipment on customers' premises was highly commended in the UK National Training Awards.

Training company Dialog, of Sudbury, Suffolk, delivered the Hands-On Hygiene program to 283 staff of CCE's field-engineering team, based in Milton Keynes. The training was facilitated by the British Soft Drinks Association (BSDA), which represents UK producers of soft drinks, fruit juices and bottled waters.

The aim of the four-hour training workshop is to increase awareness and understanding of food-borne illness and contamination that can be transferred from the activities of technical representatives, or from customers' premises and consumers, and to ensure that all drinks that reach consumers are of the highest quality. For the training to be “the real thing”, Dialog went on the road with CCE's technical representatives, observing their working day and taking photographs to highlight hygiene issues.

Using the photographs to review real-life scenarios, CCE's technical representatives were trained to:

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  understand the need to report food-borne illness before starting work;

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  recognize and understand good hygiene practices while working with equipment; and

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  improve the cleanliness of their equipment.

The program is now used for the induction of new sales representatives and technical staff.

Dialog course director Dr Rosemarie Pearson said:

This training has brought benefits to consumers, customers, individuals and the drinks industry. Technical representatives have been active in advising their customers on improving standards.

The training is perceived as an ongoing commercial success with regard to preventive measures to protect the company and brand from potential legal action, loss of revenue and low staff morale. The workshop is unique to the drinks industry and addresses the potential risks all drink-dispensing companies face worldwide.