Content relating to Audit & Certification

Many in the Australian food industry had more than acceptable food safety programs in place before the pandemic, yet still faced unprecedented challenges as it unfolded. Supply chains and business continuity were most significantly impacted, and a new level of risk management evolved, above and beyond any seen previously. Across the industry cleaning, hygiene, and sanitation practices have been transformed and a much sharper focus has developed around sustainability.

It is impossible to be too prepared for a food safety audit and every audit presents an opportunity for your facility to continually evolve to be better. Audits are not an end in themselves, nor are they a time for pointing fingers and finding fault. Audits do not start because an auditor arrives to perform them. Rather, audits happen because the purpose is to determine if your system is working as it should. Audits identify gaps and shortcomings, after which the team has an opportunity to make any corrections necessary to align with the food safety program so that the process is safe, effective, efficient and consistent throughout all locations. When a strong food safety culture is embedded in an organisation, half the work of audit preparation is already done.

Food safety management systems don't stop evolving as soon as they are implemented. They must continue to morph and change along with business growth and changing dynamics. If a food safety system is not continually evolving and improving to stay effective, it no longer serves the purpose of safeguarding the staff, customers and consumers. In this blog, we will uncover how to achieve a successfully established food safety management system, and 6 tips to improve your food safety management system and audit scores.

The launch of BRCGS Food Safety 9 represents a huge milestone in the development of the Standard – now the leading global food safety programme with over 22,000 certificated sites across more than 130 countries.

There is certainly considerable time, effort and investment committed to establishing and implementing an effective food safety management system, however at this point, the work has only just begun. Maintaining an effective food safety program that grows and develops with the business is as fundamental to ongoing operations as anything else the business may do. Systems and processes must be constantly monitored, assessed, and evolved in the pursuit of excellence and all of it must be underpinned by a healthy and deeply embedded food safety culture.

More and more market-leading businesses are recognising the importance of management systems to key business functions and understand the significance of certification - it’s their proof point that gives them the competitive edge.

The industry approach to food safety has evolved in recent years, with food safety seen now as more about culture and less about ticking boxes as the gold standard. Though food safety can be measured in traditional ways, culture is much more instinctive and less specifically defined. The key is to translate the complexity of audits, documentation, and directions into practical strategies and measures that everyone can understand.

The pandemic has created new cybersecurity challenges for businesses as they adapt their operating model for remote working. Cyberattacks are inevitable. Responding appropriately to an attack is not just the responsibility of your IT department - everyone in the organisation has a role to play

With the number of Cyberattacks increasing, organisations need to educate their employees to create a culture of security awareness.