The Sharjah Food Safety Program : Implementing innovative best practice to improve public health

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present the latest food safety initiatives for hospitality businesses in the Emirate of Sharjah, UAE. It is the fifth paper in a themed issue of Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes presenting international food safety management challenges and solutions. Design/methodology/approach – The Sharjah Food Safety Program is presented, with a detailed description of the phased, multi‐layered management approach, with progress to date. Findings – Initial results indicate recognizable improvements in food safety awareness and performance in the businesses. Practical implications – The paper will be of value to practitioners, researchers, policy makers, and other stakeholders involved in the food industry. Originality/value – This paper presents an innovative strategy of integrating training, HACCP implementation and verification. It offers governments and other stakeholders a practical “template” that can accelerate HACCP implementation.