With FSSC 22000 becoming the gold standard for food safety management, verifying certificate authenticity is essential to prevent fraud that can compromise supply chain integrity and expose companies to food safety risks.
Why FSSC 22000 Certificate Verification Matters
Verifying your FSSC 22000 certificate protects your organization from fraudulent certificates. It ensures compliance throughout the supply chain to avoid any pitfalls and to make sure that due diligence is done to protect the consumers.
Essential Steps to Verify FSSC 22000 Certificate Authenticity
When evaluating the authenticity of an FSSC 22000 certificate, systematically check these five critical elements:
1. Check the FSSC 22000 Logo Format
While checking an FSSC 22000 Certificate, the first and foremost step is to check that the logo follows the correct official format and design specifications.
2. Examine Certificate Formatting and Consistency
It is important to check that the certificate uses consistent formatting, proper alignment, and uniform fonts throughout the document. The presentation and typography of the document are other indicators of an authentic certificate. The quality of the presentation should be professional and conform to the norms.
3. Verify Referenced Normative Standards
A thorough verification is needed to ensure that the certificate references the correct normative standards. These include ISO 22000, the technical specifications for Pre-Requisite Programs (PRPs), and the current Certification Scheme Version.
These standards act as anchors that define the authenticity of the FSSC 22000 certification for the purpose of preventing misuse or fraud.
4. Confirm Certification Body and Accreditation Body
It is important to identify the Certification and Accreditation Bodies on the certificate and cross-reference them with those listed on the official FSSC website. You can find the approved lists under the Public Register in the main menu.
5. Use the FSSC Database of Certified Organizations
You can verify the certificate by either scanning the QR code on the certificate or searching for the organization using the COID (certified organization identification code). You can search by name or COID for detailed information by accessing the Public Register on the FSSC website.
If the certificate does not appear on the Public Register, please contact Foundation FSSC directly.
What to Do If a Certificate Cannot Be Verified
It is important to notify Foundation FSSC directly of any fraudulent certification claims to protect your organization from suspicious certificates and to mitigate risk factors.
Conclusion
With over 40,000 organizations certified with FSSC 22000, we strive to achieve end-to-end food safety for consumers. We can effectively accomplish this by carefully and diligently examining the key elements that verify the certificate’s authenticity:
- Identifying the correct logo format
- Formatting and Consistency of the Certificate
- Verifying Referenced Normative Standards
- Confirming Certification Body and Accreditation Body
- Using the FSSC Database of Certified Organizations and,
- Timely Reporting of a fraudulent certificate
