Transparency of meals for workers with "Responsibility Green Tiles

Workers concerned about the origin of meals

From schools, "Responsibility Green Stick" is expected to expand to kitchens at enterprises, export processing zones, and industrial parks. Because workers do not directly choose ingredients and suppliers, information transparency and increased meal control are particularly concerned.

Ms. Tran Thi Be Hanh - a worker working in Tan Binh ward - said that what she cares about when using collective meals is the origin of food and processing methods.

Workers often eat according to the company's quota, so there are not many choices. If food has a clear origin, the kitchen is controlled and there is information for workers to know, we will be more assured" - Ms. Hanh said.

According to Ms. Hanh, publicizing information about food suppliers, raw materials and control procedures will help workers have more basis to monitor the quality of meals.

This is also one of the issues raised when the "Responsibility Green Stick" model is considered for expansion to the business sector. Not only controlled by functional agencies, the model aims to allow meal users to access information and participate in monitoring.

In Lai Thieu ward, the expansion of the model to businesses is determined by the locality to be implemented step by step, based on actual conditions.

Mr. Tran The Phong - Vice Chairman of Lai Thieu Ward People's Committee - said that if the model is successfully implemented in schools, the locality will coordinate with the Fatherland Front and Ward Trade Union to mobilize and invite companies and businesses in the area to participate in the "Green Stick of Responsibility" program.

According to Mr. Phong, Lai Thieu ward does not have industrial zones or clusters; businesses in the area are mainly small-scale, operate scattered and only have a few large businesses. Therefore, the locality does not set a goal of deploying them simultaneously but will choose a direction that is suitable for reality.

In the immediate future, the locality will focus on mobilizing and connecting businesses with many workers to participate," Mr. Phong said.

When many people use the same food source, the requirements for controlling ingredients, processing and circulating meals need to be put first.

Community participates in monitoring

According to Mr. Dao Ha Trung - Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City High-Tech Association, food safety control cannot only be placed on the shoulders of the State, but new models are needed, in which the community participates in supervision.

Mr. Trung said that the model "Transparent Meals, Green Accumulation of Responsibility" is being implemented towards this goal, with the direct participation of the community in food safety control.

The city's orientation is that the control of collective meals will not only stop at schools but also expand to canteens, export processing zones and industrial parks. In which, meals for workers are a group that needs to be concerned about due to the large number of users and regular service frequency.

Workers, doctors, lawyers or any worker have the right to use safe food and are guaranteed a clean and transparent meal. Food safety should therefore not be a privilege of any group of people but must be a common interest of everyone" - Mr. Trung said.

From a local perspective, implementation at enterprises will require coordination between the government, the Fatherland Front, Trade Unions and enterprises. Meanwhile, workers can also become a link in the monitoring process by accessing information and reflecting the quality of meals.

If implemented appropriately, prioritizing the connection of businesses with many workers can create a starting point to expand the "Responsible Green Stick" model to more collective kitchens. Through this, workers not only use meals but also have more information to know how the food they use is supplied and controlled.

See the original here