dossier

The Importance of Quality Standards

[vc_row full_screen_section_height=”no”][vc_column][vc_column_text]Della quality,abused use of the term today and its multiple declination we talked a few articles ago (read article).

Today we will tackle the topic by analyzing some of the most common quality certifications that prove to be a key factor for opening up to foreign markets as guarantors of transparency and credibility.

 

Today, in fact, having one or more certifications for the company means being able to guarantee its customers to work methodically so that the quality of the products marketed is always guaranteed.
Certification can be of two types:

  • can certify the characteristics of the product – in this case we are talking about Product Certification
  • can certify the processes adopted to obtain a given product or the production systems linked to it – in this case we speak of instead of system certification.

It should be emphasized that the the task of certification falls to third-party bodies, independent and qualified (depending on the scope), which verify and certify the conformity of the product and/or management system to the requirements specified in specific reference documents.

 

They are five standards recognized by GFSI – Global Food Safety Initiative, an international association composed of more than 50 countries in the world with the aim of strengthening and promoting food safety along the entire supply chain.
All five have therefore international validity, are based on an HACCP system integrated with good manufacturing practices procedures and a document management system.

In detail, they are:
-BRC
-IFS
-SQF 2000
-Dutch HACCP
-FSSC 22000
(which arises from the need to harmonize the ISO 22000 management system with the highest standards such as IFS and BRC).

 

Today we will specifically focus on certifications BRC and IFS - which I am product certifications – but also on theISO 22000which is one system certification.

All three were conceived by the European GDO in order to promote the application of hygiene and quality standards by suppliers by making more effective management, reducing costs and, at the same time, ensuring a greater level of safety for customers and consumers.
Certifications make it possible monitor manufacturing processes and compliance with hygiene principles, thus also ensuring a prompt risk management – a guarantee that cannot be underestimated in the current context of counterfeiting, fraud and bioterrorism scenarios.
Today, the entire supply chain is involved, therefore suppliers and producers of raw materials but also transporters.
The requirements set by both the BRC and the IFS they conjugate in a perfect manner with what was requested by theISO 9001: 2008 and from HACCP method – Hazard analysis and critical control points.
For companies that already apply these certifications, compliance with BRC and IFS is very rapid, allowing a reduction in the time and costs required for the various inspection checks.

 

BRC and IFS they have it same goal ma they use slightly different evaluation criteria.
The BRC uses a grading system (AA, A, B, C, D) while the IFS uses a percentage grading system.
In recent years, BRC and IFS have undergone important changes aimed at aligning the two standards so as to facilitate the possibility of joint certification audits.
The main stages of thecertification process They include:

  • definition of the certification purpose;
  • preliminary audit (on request): gap analysis and assessment of the Organization's current compliance with the requirements;
  • certification audit (the so-called Certification Audit) which has as its final result the issuing of the certificate;
  • renewal visits (generally annual) aimed at monitoring continuous improvement.

 

The main benefits of the BRC and IFS certifications are summarized as follows:

  • international recognition on food safety
  • dimostrazione proactive approach for food safety
  • expansion of your customer portfolio as such certifications are increasingly an essential prerequisite for accessing not only the European but also the international market;
  • reduction of second party inspections – which means fewer resources dedicated to managing checks;
  • stronger relationships with their suppliers;
  • greater transparency and Increased confidence by consumers;
  • simplification of production
  • control of internal processes and risk minimization
  • integrate the requirements of the standard with any additional specific requirements;
  • exploit synergies and common elements in quality management systems according to ISO 9000 and the HACCP method;

These standards, which must be underlined voluntary nature, broaden the range of control and action also on other documentary aspects, such as, for example, checking the conformity of labels, comparing the nutritional tables reported on the label with the analytical results, as well as other aspects related to the specific and legal requirements of the countries in which they are applied.

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