From Science to Food Safety: Dr. Yasmine Motarjemi’s Insights into Corporate Irresponsible Behavior [Video]

Dr. Yasmine Motarjemi is a renowned international expert in the area of food safety, holding an MSc in Food Science and Technology from the University of Languedoc, Montpellier, France, and a Doctoral degree in Food Engineering from the University of Lund, Sweden.

Following her academic pursuits, she joined the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva as a Senior Scientist in 1990. During her tenure at WHO, she played a pivotal role in matters concerning the surveillance and prevention of foodborne illnesses, education of food handlers, and the development of food safety assurance systems.

Throughout her career, Dr. Motarjemi has authored, co-authored, or edited numerous peer-reviewed articles, books, training manuals, and other publications, including a book focused on food safety for children. From 2000 to 2011, she held the position of Assistant Vice President at Nestlé, where she served as the Corporate Food Safety Manager. During this period, she was instrumental in developing the Nestlé Food Safety Management system and addressing various emerging food safety challenges.

However, in 2006, Dr. Motarjemi raised concerns within Nestlé regarding ongoing mismanagement in food safety practices. Despite her efforts, she faced harassment and eventually termination from the company in 2010, officially citing differences in opinion regarding food safety. However, in 2023, Nestlé was found guilty by a Swiss court of unjustly retaliating against her.

On April 18, 2024, Dr. Costantino Grasso, who serves as an Associate Professor in Business and Law at Manchester Law School, organized a Special Guest Session featuring Dr. Motarjemi. This session provided an interactive platform for post-graduate students pursuing Master of Laws (LLM) degrees, as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility and Business Ethics course. The aim was to allow students to engage with Dr. Motarjemi and gain insights from her extensive experience in the field of food safety and corporate irresponsible behavior in the food sector.

The discussion not only enriched the students’ understanding of how the food industry operates and the inherent tensions between corporate profitability and public safety but also served as an inspiration shedding light on the challenges individuals face when advocating for ethical practices.

The Corporate Crime Observatory, in cooperation with the Corporate Social Responsibility and Business Ethics Blog, had the privilege of publishing the insights and experiences shared during this session, further disseminating Dr. Motarjemi’s valuable perspectives to a global audience. The session covered a wide range of topics, including the various dimensions of the food industry, corporate adherence to food safety standards, the role of multinational corporations, and the effectiveness of corporate social responsibility initiatives within the industry.

The session covered the following topics:

• Guest Introduction (Dr. Costantino Grasso)
1. The Food Industry and Its Various Dimensions
2. The Food Industry: Specific Characteristics and Distinguishing Traits
3. The Role of Multinational Corporations in the Food Sector
4. Food Industry: Main Players and Concentration of Corporate Power
5. The Definition of Food Safety
6. The Perilous Exposure to Harmful or Unhealthy Food
7. Corporate Adherence to Food Safety Standards
8. Prioritizing Profit and Other Factors: Drivers of Neglected Food Safety
9. The Establishment of Food Safety Standards
10. Food Safety Standards: Corporate Unethical Lobbying
11. The Effectiveness of Food Safety Standards
12. Exploring Stakeholders’ Role in the Area of Food Safety
13. Corporate Social Responsibility within the Food Industry
14. Evaluating CSR, ESG, or Sustainability Reports: An Overview
15. Evaluating CSR, ESG, or Sustainability Reports: Quantitative Analysis
16. Evaluating CSR, ESG, or Sustainability Reports: Qualitative Analysis
17. Evaluating CSR, ESG, or Sustainability Reports: Inadequate Culture
18. Lack of Executives’ Accountability for Food Safety Violations
19. Assessing the Effectiveness of CSR-focused Solutions
20. Corporate Exploitation of Regulatory Gaps
• Conclusive Remarks