SQF Unites 2025 - The Top Sessions You Won't Want to Miss

The annual SQF Unites conference brings together top experts to discuss the future of food safety and how to tackle the biggest challenges the industry and consumers face.

Next week, the Rootwurks team will be on the scene at Booth 37 to meet with our food safety colleagues and discuss how we can work together to meet these challenges. 

If you’ll be in Orlando for SQF Unites, here are some of the top sessions we recommend attending.      

Building a Strong Food Safety Culture

Monday, March 3rd

10:30 - 11:15 am

Featuring Stacey Brown of Rootwurks partner ASI and Amit Jagirdar of Bunge Canada, this session will explore the essential elements of food safety culture and the steps companies can take to cultivate a food safety culture. 

Key areas of focus include:

• What food safety culture entails and why it’s so important
• How to keep employees engaged and accountable 
• The role of leadership in culture building
• How to improve your safety culture 

Environmental Monitoring - Validating Your EMP

Monday, March 3rd

1:00-1:45 pm

In this session, Dr. Prit Hora of Bureau Veritas Certification North America will discuss how to create and maintain an EMP that can adapt to change and take a proactive approach to environmental risk management. 

Key areas of focus include:

• How to clarify if you are meeting your environmental goals and operational needs
• How to implement secondary monitoring gaps for your EMP
• The tools and techniques you can use to spot environmental hazards
• When to re-validate your EMO

For further guidance on EMPs, check out the Rootwurks Environmental Monitoring Program course, available on our online store. 

How Food Safety Will Use and Benefit from Artificial Intelligence

Monday, March 3rd

2:00-2:45 pm

In this panel, EAGLE Certification Group Managing Director Colin Christmas will discuss how AI can help with detection, monitoring, and response strategies to manage food safety risks in the supply chain. 

Topics include:

• The role of AI in revolutionizing food safety practices
• AI tools and technologies for food safety management
• Case studies for AI in food safety 
• How to integrate AI tools in food safety 
• The ethical considerations of AI

You can also check out the recent Rootwurks webinar “How AI Will Change Food Safety,” airing on-demand on the Rootwurks website.

Enhancing Recall and Crisis Management 

Tuesday, March 4th 

10-10:45 am 

In this panel, Global Food Defense Institute Founder and CEO Rod Wheeler, PJRFSI Accreditation Manager Lauren Maloney, and Lisa Lucore, Director of Food, Compliance, and Auditing at Shearer’s Food, will discuss the recall and criminal management practices that are essential for safeguarding public health and maintaining brand reputation. 

Topics include:

• The updated standards and expectations for recall management 
• How to enhance criminal management strategies and prepare your team for swift action
• How to proactively approach recalls and crisis events 
• How to regularly test, review, and improve your recall and crisis management practices 

Click here to download our free Rootwurks guide to recall prevention, “Prevent Recalls: A Guide to Internal Audits.”

Roundtable Session: From Audit Scores to Implementation Excellence

Tuesday, March 4th 

1:00-2:45 pm

More than two dozen food safety experts will take part in this roundtable discussion to examine SQF code requirements that are often misinterpreted or inadequately implemented and discuss best practices for improved implementation. 

Topics include:

• The role of data collection, analytical tools, and technology in decision making
• How to leverage technology and data management tools 
• Allergen programs
• Cleaning and sanitation
• Environmental monitoring programs
• Food safety culture
• Hazard analysis 

And much more. 

Will you be attending SQF Unites? If so, we’d love for you to pop by Booth 37 to meet the Rootwurks team. You can also grab a meeting here.