In 2016, PFS simultaneously noticed two things in Africa: a need to increase capacity in addressing technical challenges at client companies and recent college graduates’ need for professional work experience. This observation led to the development of the PFS Apprenticeship Program. In 2016, PFS started with two apprentices in Ghana and has since grown to over 100 apprentices across seven African countries. Last June, PFS hosted its first Food Safety and Quality Apprentice Workshop with the goal of training past and present apprentices on safety standards in the food industry. Part of the workshop included a professional panel of food safety experts, including Weronika Strzyzowska, a quality specialist at DSM. “The workshop afforded me the opportunity to learn directly from a seasoned professional,” said an apprentice who attended the workshop. “[The volunteer panelists] provided guidance on how to identify activities/tasks that should be performed to achieve optimal food safety.”
PFS Human Capital Services Lead Yvonne Hormenoo said, “The panel of volunteer experts was very valuable.” She added that the panelists spoke to performance measurements, operations and management reviews, standard operating procedures, problem-solving techniques, and more. “Many of the attendees said the panel discussion was the highlight of the four-day workshop!”
In an effort to address technical challenges at food processing companies in Africa, PFS developed an apprentice program that could help improve food security and give recent graduates professional work experience. Over the years, this program has grown to over 100 apprentices across seven African countries. To further promote. networking and resource sharing between apprentices, PFS needed advice on how to design an effective alumni network. With the help of six management trainees from Bühler, PFS was able to develop the program in 2021 and give recently graduated apprentices an opportunity to stay connected. The volunteers provided key insights into successful alumni programs and shared suggestions on engagement strategies such as communication platforms, content, and more.
Even at the highest level, mentorship matters. From apprentices to CEOs, mentoring can make a huge difference in an individual, and company’s, trajectory. Over the past year, Bühler President and CEO of North America Andy Sharpe has been mentoring PFS client Managing Director Miraj Shah. Miraj runs Crofts Limited in Kenya, one of the largest avocado oil producers in Africa. “The mentorship has been great,” said Andy. “We’ve had plenty of great discussions from culture to business growth.” The PFS Mentorship Program is a great opportunity to connect with food industry leaders one on one and support African entrepreneurs. To date, the PFS Mentorship Program has connected over 150 individuals and supported both mentors and mentees in reaching their personal and professional goals.
There are an estimated one billion volunteers in the world. They play a crucial role in building resilient communities and helping those in need. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact in bringing that number down. For workplace volunteering programs, it’s no surprise that in-person volunteerism dropped as social distancing requirements and remote work began almost overnight.
Virtual volunteerism is a great way to continue and even grow a culture of giving back, despite in-person limitations. Our organization, Partners in Food Solutions (PFS), is a consortium of seven world-class companies – General Mills, Cargill, DSM, Bühler, The Hershey Company, Ardent Mills, and J.M. Smucker -who have been supporting remote volunteering for 13 years,. Employees of our consortium partners share their expertise remotely with entrepreneurial food companies in Africa to help strengthen their businesses and improve local food security. Over the years, we’ve learned to overcome challenges around technology, how to engage a remote workforce, and more. In 2021, we supported 616 volunteers, accounting for over 17,000 volunteer hours. Each one of these volunteers represents a positive impact on a client, a community, a country and a continent. The passion for food security, commitment to help, and know-how that is shared is truly treasured by the clients we serve.
The Personal Case for Virtual Volunteering
Take for example Natalia Faiden and Tomomi Fujimaru, food safety and quality professionals from General Mills. They stepped up and volunteered to share their knowledge with Forest Fruits, one of the leading producers of organic honey and beeswax in Lusaka, Zambia. Forest Fruits sources honey from over 7000 traditional beekeepers that utilize sustainable farming practices.
Forest Fruits wanted to become HACCP certified (an international standard defining the requirements for effective control of food safety) but had challenges passing their previous certification audit due to lack of in-house expertise. Natalia and Tomomi volunteered their expertise and time with Forest Fruits to achieve certification. “Volunteering enables me to take advantage of the resources and knowledge at General Mills to support and develop the food industry where it is most needed, while getting to know other cultures and learning from them, “ said Natalia. “Without a doubt, my favorite part of this project was seeing Forest Fruit’s transformation and helping them receive the certification.” That certification will help the company grow, maintain high quality and safety standards, and expand their market reach.
The Business Case for Virtual Volunteering
Both employers and employees benefit from supporting a culture that facilitates volunteerism and meaningful connection. In addition to the high personal satisfaction that comes with volunteering, 68 percent of PFS volunteers surveyed said that they have gained new or improved skills through volunteering with us. Additional research also reinforces the importance of employee practices like volunteerism that “goes beyond company walls.” According to research these organizations are 2.2 times more likely to exceed financial targets, 2.8 times more likely to adapt well to change and more than three times more likely to retain employees and reduce absenteeism and health insurance claims.
The Secrets to a Successful Program
Keys to a successful knowledge-transfer volunteering program like ours includes a place where the specific expertise of your employees is needed and designing a program that has specifically designed projects that volunteers and clients can engage in virtually. At PFS we only work on projects that a client asks for and prioritizes. In effect, they “pull” the expertise from us, we don’t “push” them into prescribed generic solutions. Additionally, engagements should be clearly structured from the beginning using well-scoped project charters that include transparent and realistic timelines, objectives, and deliverables. We spend time setting expectations with our volunteers so they are prepared to address these unique challenges in resource constrained environments.
We’re happy to share additional insights on volunteering, including our findings on implementing successful remote volunteering programs. Please see our resource: Building a Skills Based Remote Volunteering Program.
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Partners in Food Solutions, a consortium of leading global food companies – General Mills, Cargill, Royal DSM, Bühler, The Hershey Company, Ardent Mills and The J.M. Smucker Company – is working to strengthen food security, improve nutrition and increase economic development across Africa by expanding and increasing the competitiveness of the food processing sector. We link corporate volunteers from our world-class corporate partners, who share their expertise with promising entrepreneurs in eleven African countries.
Faffa Foods, a fortified maize flour company, wants to play a leading role in tackling malnutrition in Ethiopia. Known for their nutritious baby food products, Faffa Foods wanted to expand their product portfolio and provide more nutritious products to their community and beyond. Dealing with limited resources, further exacerbated by the pandemic, Faffa Foods turned to PFS and TechnoServe for technical assistance. Tasked with developing an enriched snack bar were General Mills volunteers Jeff Enz and Moses Khamis. Jeff, a R&D veteran with over 25 years of experience at General Mills, and Moses, a senior extrusion engineer from Uganda who joined the company earlier this year, were the perfect fit for the job.
“I love food science and really like sharing my passion and knowledge with others,” said Jeff. “It is fun to support young companies in emerging marketing with new food offerings and technology.” Jeff and Moses were able to share their ingredient knowledge, experimental design experience, and processing expertise to advise Faffa Foods on the development of their new grain-based snack bar. “It was interesting to learn about the different challenges companies like Faffa Foods face in regards to innovation,” said Moses. “They are constrained by numerous challenges but with the right mindset can come up with unique products and solutions.”
After months of research and fine tuning the formulation for the snack bar, Faffa Foods is now ready to enter the trial phase of the project. Jeff and Moses have both agreed to continue supporting Faffa Foods through their trials and will spend the next several months running production trials, developing production procedures, and troubleshooting any issues. “It has been a pleasure working with PFS volunteers and TechnoServe,” said Faffa Foods Deputy Director Zelalem Yimer. “We really appreciate Jeff and Moses’ commitment, which is a driving force for our team. We can’t wait to share an update on the status of our product in the near future!”