The Food Safety Promotion Board: The Chief Executive carries out the functions of the Food Safety Promotion Board and reports directly to the North South Ministerial Council (NSMC). The Chief Executive is supported by an Advisory Board and a Scientific Advisory Committee.

The broadly representative Advisory Board is made up of 12 members and provides advice on strategic matters. This is complemented by a Scientific Advisory Committee of 17 to 19 members (two have observer status), who provide scientific and technical guidance. The Food Safety Promotion Board is a multidisciplinary organisation with an approved complement of 30 staff.

It has four directorates: Marketing and Communication, Corporate Operations, Human Health and Nutrition, and Food Science.

The Marketing and Communications function within safefood promotes the corporate messages of the organisation to a number of key audiences using the most effective channels. The key messages around food safety, food hygiene and nutrition are communicated using a combination of public relations, media relations, advertising, promotional activity, events, direct marketing, publications, sponsorship, website and the safefood helpline.

Corporate Operations is responsible for ensuring that safefood complies with all legal requirements and responsibilities from finance, HR and Information Systems and promoting best practice in all areas of corporate policy making and governance. Corporate Operations has overall responsibility for the research function and the development of the laboratory linkages programme.

Food Science undertakes all aspects of food safety as related to microbiology, chemistry and toxicology including scientific assessments, identifying and commissioning research and surveys and surveillance of foodborne diseases. Specialist scientific advice and support is also provided to external stakeholders.

The Human Health and Nutrition remit is in the nutritional safety of food and the prevention of infectious foodborne diseases through safefood’s communication and research programmes.