Interview: Diego Corrales Villa – Technical Agri-Food Advisor at ATACO
We had the opportunity to speak with Diego Corrales about his experience in the industry, his career in third-party certifications, and how to foster a culture of compliance in food safety within the farming sector.
Diego is a Biochemical Engineer in Food and has about 15 years of experience in the agri-food industry. Throughout his career, he has specialized in food safety, social responsibility, occupational health and safety, environmental management, and compliance systems applicable to farm companies, packing facilities, and food processing establishments.
His expertise includes compliance diagnostics, development of manuals and procedures, internal audits, staff training, risk analysis, addressing findings, and preparation for certification audits. His professional purpose has been to translate technical and regulatory requirements into practical actions, enabling companies not only to obtain a certification but also to build a genuine culture of compliance, prevention, social responsibility, and continuous improvement.
He is currently the CEO of ATACO – Corrales Technical Agri-Food Advisory.
1. Would you mind sharing with us what ATACO is and the services it offers?
ATACO stands for Corrales Technical Agri-Food Advisory. It is a consultancy specialized in supporting farming companies, packing facilities, and organizations in the agri-food sector in areas such as food safety, social responsibility, occupational health and safety, environmental management, and management systems.
We offer services including compliance diagnostics and internal audits, development of manuals, policies, procedures, and programs, staff training, risk analysis, addressing findings, and preparation for certification processes. We work with schemes such as GLOBALG.A.P., PrimusGFS, SQF, SMETA, Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance, and GRASP, as well as requirements established by SENASICA, the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare (STPS), the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT), and the U.S. FSMA Law.
At ATACO, we focus on developing practical solutions tailored to the needs of each company. Our goal is not only to help them obtain a certification, but also to strengthen their processes, reduce risks, and preserve a culture of compliance and continuous improvement.
2. How important do you consider continuous training is in farming companies?
I believe that continuous training is essential in farming companies because it allows workers to understand the risks associated with their activities, perform their duties correctly, and recognize the importance of complying with established procedures.
In the farming sector, there are continuous changes in regulations, certification requirements, customer demands, and production conditions. Therefore, training the staff helps preventing accidents, reducing errors, protecting product food safety, improving environmental performance, and strengthening labor and social compliance.
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Additionally, training should not only be seen as a requirement for an audit.
When delivered in a practical, clear manner and directly related to the actual activities of each position, it becomes an investment that enhances productivity, strengthens a preventive culture, and enables the company to maintain its certifications while becoming more competitive.
3. How do you achieve a culture of food safety?
I believe that a culture of food safety is achieved when everyone in the organization understands that food safety is a shared responsibility, not only a requirement to pass an audit.
To develop it, visible commitment from management is needed, along with continuous training, clear procedures, effective communication, and field supervision. It is also important to listen to workers, recognize good practices, and timely correct behaviors that may put the product at risk.
Food safety must be part of daily decisions and activities, from production and harvesting to packing and transportation. When the staff understand why each measure must be followed and observe that leaders lead by example, food safety ceases to be just a set of documents and becomes a standard way to work.
4. How important are food safety and social responsibility in food-producing companies?
Food safety and social responsibility are essential because a company that produces food has two major commitments: protecting the health of consumers and ensuring dignified and safe conditions for the people involved in production.
Food safety helps preventing hazards that could contaminate food and affect consumers, whereas social responsibility safeguards labor rights, health, safety, and the well-being of workers.
Both subjects are closely related. We cannot talk about safe food if these are produced under inadequate labor conditions. Other than facilitating legal compliance and certifications, proper implementation strengthens customer and consumer trust, reduces risks, and enhances both competitiveness and reputation of companies.
5. What does it mean for farming companies to have third-party certifications?
For farming companies, having third-party certifications means that an independent body has evaluated their processes and verified compliance with specific requirements of food safety, social responsibility, occupational safety, environment, or quality.
These certifications build trust among clients and consumers, facilitate access to both domestic and foreign markets, and help demonstrating that the company operates under recognized standards. They also allow for the identification of areas for improvement, risk reduction, and stronger operational control.
However, certification should not be only considered as a document or a commercial requirement. Its true value lies in maintaining the requirements every day and turning them into a part of the culture and continuous improvement of the company.
6. Based on your experience, how has the farming industry evolved in terms of food safety and social responsibility, and how have certification schemes changed?
The farming industry has evolved from a mostly reactive and document-based approach to a more preventive, comprehensive, and risk-based management system. Previously, the focus was on product quality and meeting requirements before an audit. Today, companies are required to demonstrate permanent controls in the field, packing facility, transportation, and the supply chain.
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In food safety, a greater deal of importance has been placed on traceability, risk analysis, water control, staff hygiene, and the ability to respond to contamination or product recalls. In social responsibility, there is an increased surveillance on wages, working hours, ethical hiring, freedom of association, housing, health and safety conditions, as well as the prevention of child and forced labor.
Certification schemes have also become more demanding and comprehensive. They now require a greater involvement from the management, objective evidence, worker interviews, follow-up on corrective actions, and continuous improvement results. Also, they increasingly incorporate environmental aspects, human rights, and due diligence. This has led farming companies to understand that certification is no longer about preparing documents, but about demonstrating that compliance has truly become a part of their daily operation.
7. What are the most significant practices you would recommend to farmers with regards to compliance and certifications?
The main recommendation I would make to farmers is to see compliance as part of their daily operations, and not only as preparation before an audit. To achieve this, they must understand the legal and certification requirements applicable to them, assess their risks, and establish clear and practical procedures.
It is also substantial to maintain reliable records, provide continuous training to the staff, ensure product traceability, and control critical aspects such as water, hygiene, agrochemicals, worker health and safety, and labor conditions.
Finally, I recommend conducting periodic internal audits, timely addressing findings, and measuring the effectiveness of corrective actions. Certification is sustained when there is a commitment from the management, worker involvement, and a genuine culture of continuous improvement.
8. What trends do you consider will make an impact on the industry in the years to come?
I believe one of the main trends will be a greater demand in terms of sustainability, especially in efficient water use, emission reduction, waste management, biodiversity protection, and climate change adjustment.
We will also see growth in the digitalization of records, real-time traceability, and the use of technology to monitor production processes. In food safety, we will see more stringent preventive controls and a greater response capability to risks, contaminations, or product recalls.
In terms of social responsibility, markets will demand greater transparency with regards to fair wages, ethical hiring, working conditions, health and safety, human rights, and supplier practices. Therefore, companies will need to demonstrate that they are not only in compliance within their facilities, but also awareness and management of risks throughout their supply chain.
In the coming years, the most competitive organizations will be those that integrate food safety, social responsibility, environment, and technology as part of a single management strategy.
9. What do you believe are the main challenges for farming companies?
One of the main challenges for farming companies is maintaining profitability while facing greater legal, commercial, environmental, and certification demands. Production costs are increasing, yet companies are also required to invest in infrastructure, technology, training, and improved labor conditions.
Other important challenges include the availability and efficient use of water, the effects of climate change, labor shortages, staff turnover, and compliance with increasingly rigorous food safety and social responsibility requirements.
There is also the challenge of maintaining reliable records, strengthening traceability, and achieving that procedures are truly being applied in the field and packing facilities. In my opinion, the solution lies in setting priorities, assessing risks, and developing practical systems that allow companies to comply without overlooking productivity and the operational reality of each business.
10. Anything else you would like to add?
I would like to add that compliance and certifications should be seen as tools to strengthen companies, protect workers, and ensure safe food, not only as commercial requirements.
The farming industry is facing a great deal of challenges, but it also has the opportunity to transform itself through training, prevention, and continuous improvement. At ATACO, we will continue supporting farmers and agri-food companies in turning technical and regulatory requirements into practical, sustainable solutions adjusted to their reality.
I am convinced that a company that takes care of its processes, its workers, the environment, and its consumers is an organization which is stronger, more competitive, and better prepared for the future.
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