IFS offers me an environment in which I can develop my skills while contributing to bringing safe products to the market that benefit consumer health.
Mariana Estrada, Logistics & Broker Standard Manager
Mariana Estrada has been a highly valued member of the IFS Team for almost three years. She started her career with us as Technical Manager for the IFS Academy. In October 2023, she took over the position of IFS Standard Manager for Logistics and Broker. Mariana introduces herself in this blog post.
Passion for nutrition and health
My name is Mariana, and I am originally from Mexico. Since 2015, I have been living and working in North and South America as well as Europe. I started my professional career in the food industry in the United States as a translator for a certification body based in Chile and Colombia.
My academic background is in business administration, but nutrition and health have always been my passion. So, my job in the US provided a great opportunity for me to explore this direction professionally.
In 2016, I moved to Chile and switched to coordinating audits according to accredited certification standards at the local DQS offices. During this time, I attended my first audits and oversaw their compliance.
Becoming part of the IFS Team
While working for DQS in Chile, I was primarily involved with the IFS Standards. A few years later, life brought me to Berlin, where IFS has one of its headquarters. It was the perfect moment to advance my career and work directly for the organisation that defines the standards.
I started as a Technical Manager and was part of the IFS Academy Team developing training materials for auditors and for industry training. One important project I worked on was the training about Food Safety Culture. Later on, I moved to the IFS Standard Management Department and became a Coordinator. In this role, I was responsible for the communication regarding the interpretation of the IFS Standards as well as the review of procedures within the IFS Technical Team.
New challenges as IFS Logistics and Broker Standard Manager
I felt surprised and honoured when our Standard Management Director , Chryssa Dimitriadis, asked me to take over the IFS Logistics and Broker Standards Management. These two standards are, after IFS Food, the biggest IFS Standards. I accepted and started this position in October 2023 and am now responsible for implementing and updating the technical content for each standard. Furthermore, I coordinate the cooperation with stakeholders to ensure the standards remain up to date according to market needs.
Logistics and broker services are important links in the supply chain of food and consumer goods. In this new position, I want to contribute to continually improving the standards and ensure that consumers around the world can rely on buying safe food and products.
Lucky to be a part of the IFS Team
At IFS, I am surrounded by the most amazing colleagues, who are always willing to support and share their expertise. They have had an enormous impact on my personal and professional development. I feel very lucky to be part of this great community.
When I am not at my desk
I always strive to learn more about how nutrition and exercise can be part of a holistic approach to supporting a healthy mind and body. A crucial reason for me to teach yoga and mindfulness in my free time. I also love to stay active with jogging, CrossFit, boxing and much more.I look forward to combining my own culturally diverse experiences, my passion for learning and my commitment to developing the IFS Broker and Logistics Standards with the expertise of the entire IFS team. This is how I contribute to bringing safe products to the market to benefit the health and safety of consumers.