Must the Second Surveillance be unannounced
At least one (1) surveillance audit is undertaken unannounced after the initial certification audit and within each three (3) year period after that; therefore, either the first or the second surveillance audit in the first cycle can be unannounced.
Can you provide some information about Training and TO?
On our website (www.fssc.com) you can select Development, from the main menu at the top of the page. Then choose the second option Training Organizations. Here you can view, and make contact with, all of our Licensed Training Organizations.
What are the significant differences between FSSC 22000 and other GFSI recognized schemes?
One of the most important differences is that FSSC 22000 uses globally independent ISO standards. ISO 22000 is used for food safety management systems and sector-specific technical specifications cover our prerequisite programs.
On top of this, there are additional requirements, for instance, concerning food fraud and food defense. These ISO standards ensure a robust and effective food safety management system that is risk-based and focused on continuous improvement. Designated for the different food supply chain sectors, the technical specifications for prerequisite programs ensure a solid base for the primary conditions of food safety.
If a company doesn’t have ISO 22000 but is certified under ISO 9001: 2015, is it still possible to obtain FSSC 22000 certification?
Yes, it is. FSSC 22000 includes the ISO 22000 requirements fully, so you must meet them, but it is not mandatory to be certified for ISO 22000 first. A company can move directly to FSSC 22000 certification at any time.
However, there are some advantages if your organization already meets ISO 9001. As ISO 9001 and ISO 22000 are both management system standards and the management system requirements are generally very similar, it is relatively straightforward to satisfy FSSC 22000 requirements when ISO 9001 is already implemented.
Plus, combining FSSC 22000 and ISO 9001 leads to an integrated Food Safety and Quality Management System. That is a win for food safety!
As a CB, how can we educate organizations regarding certificate authenticity? Often, clients choose a Certification based on their budget but never stop to check if their certificate is valid or not. The certificate requester may not know how to assess the validity in the first place. Is there an end-user-friendly way available to check certificates?
Foundation FSSC recently released a short instructional video on “How to verify an authentic FSSC 22000 certificate,” which is available on our website here. It provides insight to all organizations on verifying the authenticity of an FSSC certificate.
Using the FSSC website and our public register, you can check not only the validity of an FSSC certificate but also the status of a CB. Both the register & CB database are free to use.
My company in Ghana is trying to implement FSSC 22000, but it has been a very tedious and expensive process for a small business like us looking to export. How can FSSC assist small businesses to get certified, and is FSSC considering a progressive licensing scheme for small businesses?
For organizations that cannot meet the FSSC 22000 requirements in one step, we recommend the FSSC Development Program.
The program is a stepping stone model with staged requirements at level 1 and level 2. It includes a voluntary conformity assessment program conducted by a recognized Assessment Body. Organizations that meet level 1 or 2 are published on our website as conforming organizations.
There is a free requirement and self-evaluation document available here on our website.