As the first independent meat inspection service for the Australian meat industry, we formed a set of values to set ourselves apart from existing services. We’ve upheld them ever since. Now that we’re growing again it’s an important time to ask what our people really think of our values.
The Meat Inspectors values system isn’t just some inspiring words placed on poster and forgotten about. They guide everything we do – at all levels – and we reward them.
Five values, five people
Our values are trust, respect, courage, commitment, and growth. Here is what they mean to our people.
Former Veterinary Quarantine Officer Lovelyn, joined our team two years ago and acknowledges our values as important, not just to work, but life as well.
“Every employee should have these core values but the one that strikes me is commitment, because I believe commitment is the foundation of great achievement,” AAO Lovelyn said.
Kurt Matiu worked as a knife hand straight out of school, later and joining Meat Inspectors as an AAO before rising through the ranks to Northern Regional Manager. While exhibiting all our values is requisite in this industry, it’s no surprise growth is a key value for Kurt.
“All of the values are important to me. One that stands out is growth. The business has provided me with opportunities to grow and in turn, allowed me to help grow the team members,” Kurt said.
Respect goes both ways
For the Southern region’s Olivia, respect in the workplace has extra meaning.
“It’s a great values system. It really recognises the staff and what they do. For me, respect is very important,” Olivia said.
“I’m a woman who works with mostly men. There are people from many races, places, and cultures. They respect me but it is important that I respect them as well. To Meat Inspectors employees, respect goes both ways.”
Not just words
Young father and AAO Justin agreed that our values aren’t just words, they permeate the workplace.
“The values really reflect the company. They’re values that we all try hard to live up to. Courage in the workplace is about having the tough conversations when we have to. Which, in this industry, can be a lot of them,” Justin laughed.
“You’ve got to stick to what you’ve been trained to know is right. We know what we’re doing. People will try to tell you otherwise, but it’s important to stick to your guns.”
Values at all levels
These values don’t stop at the door to the slaughter floor. They’re upheld at all levels. It’s because of these values that Meat Inspectors Pty Ltd lead the industry in productivity, accountability, and innovation.
“Meat inspecting is an industry that most people wouldn’t know about but offers a service that ensures Australian meat products are safe to eat. We are trusted by clients to provide that service, so we have to trust and respect each other, as well,” CEO Cameron Dart said.
“We’ve had to show courage to become the leaders in this space. We’ve worked very hard to build a business that our clients need today and into the future.”
But cherry-picking one or two values to uphold isn’t what our people do. It’s all of these values, together, that see us lead the industry.
“You’ve got to have a lot of commitment in this industry. We’ve got to have the respect and trust of team members and clients to succeed. We have to constantly seek to learn, improve, and grow. These values guide what we do. I take my hat off to all our people, they uphold these values every single day,” Cameron said.
Read more about our values here.