Each month, we put the spotlight on a Glanbia Ireland employee and for our May newsletter, we’re talking to Billy Carr

The word audit is enough to send a chill down most people’s spine. But for Supplier Quality Manager Billy Carr, it’s all just part of the job.

“I’m responsible for Supplier Quality and Risk Management of our raw materials and critical services. In my role I look after food and feed safety and compliance, which are requirements for our company policy, quality certifications and insurance risk.

“I’ve worked in the food industry since I got my primary degree in Chemistry from UL in 2002. Since I joined Glanbia in 2013, our business has expanded significantly, from two to 11 facilities and almost three times as many suppliers. The role expansion was a bit daunting at the start, but we have exceptional people on our operations and quality teams who have been very generous sharing their experiences of suppliers and how their raw materials are used in our products.

“There have been some structural changes over that time, but change is good. I’m a fan of change for the better and while this job requires risk oversight and multi-tasking, it is extremely rewarding. I enjoy seeing different perspectives from our suppliers and sharing these insights with colleagues.

“Glanbia Ireland is a highly valued customer, as Ireland’s largest dairy processor. Most of our vendors genuinely appreciate the quality audit to reassure them that the controls they have in place meet our risk requirements – a minority of them see the process as an inconvenience. For new suppliers, it is important that we identify any risk to our products up-front, before they are used in our plants.”

With such a fast-paced role, work-life balance is important, Billy says. “Over the past eight years, I’ve learnt mindfulness techniques. I give myself 20 minutes of complete quietness to recharge my batteries every day. It’s a great grounding exercise and helps me clear the clutter. I aim to keep on top of the workload and complete tasks efficiently, so I have enough time to respond to an unexpected challenge.

“I enjoy meeting with family and friends, swimming and travel. My favourite holiday destinations have been New Zealand and California. While onsite audits are back on since Covid restrictions have been lifted, the swimming pool has yet to see me.”