Meet Barbora

- Card text "I work at Givaudan as a food safety manager in the Zurich Innovation Centre. Here we develop new foods such as meatless meat, milk-less dairy or sweets with reduced sugar content – products which create positive impact on the health of the consumer but also on the planet." Card text What brought you here? "I joined this amazing place a little more than a year ago but my passion for food science & technology dates back to childhood when I started reading labels on food packaging. It fascinated me that a single ingredient could be present in so many different foods. My passion has never wavered, but my motivation grew as I understood the influence, that food technology can have on society and the possibility to create new foods without depleting natural resources. Later I specialised in one essential part of food technology called food safety." Card text Tells us more about what you do at Givaudan "I am responsible for setting up a tailor-made food safety management system. New trends such as meat alternatives require a high speed of development – from idea to product that you can buy in a supermarket in less than a year. This fast prototyping shifts the need for food-safe prototype from a very early stage – to be able to taste, and evaluate the new product quickly. This means creating a hygienic, versatile environment and a set of rules necessary for product development teams and customers to co-create new products directly safe for consumption, while leaving room for creativity and changes." Card text After just over a year in this role, any learnings you can share? "I have definitely learned a lot. Here's what stands out most: - At Givaudan, when you have a good idea, someone will always support it. - Expect the unexpected! Be agile and let the day surprise you because it definitely will. - To react fast in a crisis and aim to move from compromise to consensus – aim for the best solution for everyone. - Progress and improvement are incremental, so knowing the difference between the must-have and the nice-to-have has been key to success. - And lastly, when implementing change, make fact-based decisions. People will understand and embrace the decision more quickly."