What is BRC Global Standard - Food?

In 1998 the British Retail Consortium (BRC) developed and introduced the BRC Technical Standard and Protocol for companies supplying retailer branded food products. The standard was developed to assist retailers in their fulfilment of legal obligations and protection of the consumer, by providing a common basis for the audit of companies supplying retailer branded food products.

the benefits of implementing BRC Global Standard - Food?

There are a number of benefits arising from the implementation of the BRC Global Standard - Food:

• It could reduce the number of food safety audits by each retailer and allow technologists to concentrate on other areas, such as product development, or specific quality issues.
  
• It provides a single standard and protocol, allowing evaluation to be carried out by certification bodies who are accredited against the European standard EN45011 (ISO/IEC Guide 65).
  
• A single verification, commissioned by the suppler in line with an agreed evaluation frequency, will allow suppliers to report upon their status to those customers recognising the standard

why seek certification to BRC Global Standard - Food

The benefits to a company can be identified by the following points:

• Within the evaluation protocol, there is a requirement for ongoing surveillance and confirmation of follow up of corrective actions on non-conformity.
  
• The standard addresses part of the due diligence requirements of both the supplier and the retailer.
  
• As certification bodies are accredited against a European standard, there can be recognition of accredited certification bodies in countries where products are sourced.

How do you start to implement BRC Global Standard - Food? What is involved?

The steps to be taken to achieve certification to BRC are:

• Obtain a copy of the standard.
  
• Put processes in place to conform to the requirements of the standard.
  
• Document the processes.
  
• Prepare for the evaluation and appoint an accredited certification body to carry it out.
  
• Undergo the site evaluation.
  
• If applicable, carry out a corrective action programme for any non-conformances that may have been raised during the evaluation.

Why choose ISOQAR for your audit?

ISOQAR has an enviable record for customer satisfaction for its certification services. A friendly approach and a dislike of bureaucracy have led to unprecedented growth through referrals from contented clients. ISOQAR only employs auditors that have empathy with this approach. They are also carefully allocated by their experience in the industry they are auditing. This results in a practical, meaningful evaluation, carried out in an air of mutual understanding. ISOQAR firmly believes that the evaluation should benefit the organisation that requests it, not be an intellectual exercise to ‘please' the auditor.

What is the cost of audit to BRC Global Standard - Food?

For a fixed, written quotation however, we require a few more details. These can be submitted to ISOQAR via a short questionnaire provided in our information pack, by telephone on 0161 865 3699, or on-line here. Quotations are provided without any obligation.

An information pack about ISOQAR’s certification services can also be requested by telephone or from our web site.

Where to obtain further information or help

Full details, including how to obtain a copy of the standard, can be found by logging on to the BRC web site:

www.brc.org.uk/standards

or feel free to contact us by phone (0161 865 3699), e-mail ( enquiries@isoqar.com ) or via our web site ( www.isoqar.com ).

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