Ensuring consumer confidence in food safety
Developed by the British Retail Consortium (BRC), a UK trade organization that represents the interests of UK retailers, the BRC Global Standard - Food was created to establish a standard for due diligence and supplier approval.
The standard has been adopted by food manufacturers throughout the world, especially by those organizations supplying British retailers. Third-party certification to the standard helps manufacturers, brand owners and retailers fulfil their legal obligations and safeguard consumers. The standard covers a comprehensive scope of product safety areas, as well as the legal and due diligence responsiblities of both the supplier and the retailer.
Who is it relevant to?
It is particularly suitable for companies supplying food products to UK retailers, regardless of the product or country of origin. In most cases certification to this standard is a pre-condition for supplying to UK retailers.
Requirements
The principal requirements of the standard are the adoption and implementation of a HACCP system, a documented and effective quality management system and a control of factory environmental standards, products, processes and personnel.
Certification with us to the BRC Global Standard - Food can bring the following benefits to your organization:
- Improved credentials to supply retailers
- An enhanced food safety and food safety management system
- A demonstrable commitment to producing safe food
- Increased custmer confidence in your product’s safety and quality
- A reduced requirement for supplier audits
More specific benefits include:
- A comprehensive approach to quality, hygiene and product safety, addressing part of the ‘due diligence’ requirements of food manufacturers and retailers
- A single verification commissioned by the manufacturer or supplier which can be used to report on the supply status to retailers
- Allowing food manufacturers to use the standard to ensure their suppliers are following good hygiene practices and completing the ‘due diligence’ chain
- Supporting continuous improvement through ongoing surveillance and corrective actions
We are experts in training and assessment and have a network of public and in-house courses dedicated to teaching you the skills you need, before, during and after certification to the standard.
Next steps
For further information about specific training on this subject, please call us on
(+44) (0)845 086 9000 or enter your details in our enquiry form.
If you’re currently one of our clients and you already have standards in place, your Client Manager can help guide you through the certification process.
If you’re new to BSI, don’t worry – the route to certification is very simple.
1. Choose the standard
Before you can begin preparing for your application, you'll need a copy of the standard. You should read this and make yourself familiar with it. The standard is available directly from the BRC.
2. Make contact
Get in touch and tell us what you need, so we can identify the best services for your organization. We’ll then give you a proposal detailing the cost and time involved in a formal assessment.
3. Meet your assessment team
We’ll assign you a dedicated Client Manager, who will be your main point of contact throughout the process – and beyond. They’ll be familiar with your business area and will support you as you move forward to assessment and certification.
4. Consider training
Whether you’re seeking to implement a management system or would like to increase your general awareness of the standard, we offer a range of workshops, seminars and training courses.
5. Pre-assessment
We can do a pre-assessment of your existing management system against the requirements of the standard and identify any omissions or weaknesses that need resolving before formal assessment.
6. Formal assessment
A formal initial assessment will be carried out on site within an agreed timescale.
7. Certification and beyond
Once the assessment has been successfully completed, we’ll issue a certificate of registration, clearly outlining the scope of your certification. The certificate is valid for either 6 or 12 months, depending on the grading you receive. Your Client Manager will carry out re-certification based on your visit cycle and support your continual improvement activities.
Next steps
For further information or a "quick quote" please call us on (+44) (0)845 080 9000. Alternatively enter your details into our enquiry form and one of our advisors will contact you.
