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BRC Global Standards
Certification to the various BRC Standards form a separate Sector Scheme amongst the many accredited scopes offered by QA International Certification. This sector is administered directly by International HACCP Certification Ltd (IHC) who service and manage the auditing of all companies seeking registration.
Depending on the industry sector to which your company belongs, click on the appropriate link below for further information: |
Consumer Products
 Introduction
The Standard was developed to assist retailers fulfil their legal obligations and to protect the consumer by providing a common basis for certification of companies supplying Consumer (non-food) Products. The intention is to promote best practice across the supply chain, which will in turn provide critical elements of the manufacturer's due diligence system.
Included within the standard are the fundamental principles of the retailers' own specifications. It will be subject to continuous review to ensure that the requirements of both retailers and their suppliers are accurately reflected.
Scope
The Standard sets out the requirements for the product safety, legality and quality of consumer products. These requirements shall be applied at the point of manufacture and subsequent storage and distribution prior to delivery to the retailer or customer. Staff health and safety, environmental or ethical issues are not addressed within its scope.
The application of the standard is also not intended as a replacement for any legislation, where this legislation requires a higher standard for a specific industry sector, and will supplement existing product testing programmes to provide a better understanding of performance and commitment.
Requirements
The standard requires the adoption and implementation of a hazard analysis, a documented and effective quality management system, and the effective control of factory environment standards, product, process and personnel. Typical areas covered by the Standard are:
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• Quality Management System
• Factory Environment and Facilities
• Product and Stock Control
• Process Control
• Personnel Hygiene & Training |
Benefits
There are a number of benefits arising from the implementation of the BRC Consumer Products standard, which include:
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• Adoption of a single standard and protocol designed to replace multiple and varying customer specifications.
• This also allows evaluation to be carried out by a single, internationally recognised, Certification Body, accredited against the European standard EN 45011 (ISO/IEC Guide 65)
• The evaluation commissioned by the supplier will allow them to report upon their status to all customers recognising the Standard.
• The Standard is comprehensive in scope covering all areas of product safety and legality and also reflects industry "best practice".
• Third Party certification of controls and systems will address part of the United Kingdom due diligence requirements of both the supplier and the customer. |
The BRC Global Standard - Food
Objective of the Standard
The objective of the BRC Global Standard-Food is to specify safety, quality and operational criteria which must be in place within a manufacturing organisation supplying food products to UK retailers, their suppliers, or other Standard users.
The Standard was initially developed to assist Retailers to fulfil their legal obligations and protect the consumer, by providing a common basis for the audit of companies supplying retailer branded food products. Since the introduction of the Food Safety Act in the United Kingdom, the obligations placed upon the UK Retailer have now become "best practice" across much of the supply chain and therefore manufacturers have accepted the principles of the Standard as a means of providing critical elements of their due diligence system.
The fundamental principles originally established by the Retailers' have been incorporated into the standard which is continuously reviewed to reflect any changing requirements of both Retailers' and their suppliers.
Scope
The BRC Global Standard for Food sets out the requirements of the industry for the manufacture of processed foods and the preparation of primary products supplied as retailer branded products, branded food products and food or ingredients for use by food service companies, catering companies, and food manufacturers. It is not intended to replace the requirement of any legislation, where this legislation requires higher or additional levels of control.
Certification can only apply to products that have been manufactured or prepared at the site where the evaluation has taken place. This will include storage facilities that are under the direct control of the production site management.
Companies whose primary operation is the processing of product, or the supply of pre-packed product, may be included in the scope of certification, if appropriate controls are in place and the scope specifically excludes the manufacture or preparation of pre-packed product.
Certification under this Standard cannot be given for activities relating to:
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• wholesale
• importation
• distribution or storage (outside the direct control of the company) |
Requirements
Registered companies will be required to have:
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• a functioning HACCP system
• a documented and effective quality management system
• control of factory environment, product, process and personnel |
Benefits
Benefits of registration to the BRC Global Standard include:
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• The single standard and protocol, reflects the requirements of all BRC members, for quality, hygiene and product safety throughout the food industry.
• One common standard recognised throughout the industry allows for a consistent approach to auditing.
• There will be no need for multiple customer audits. Status can be verified to the customer by the evidence of third party certification and/or copies of audit reports.
• The Standard addresses part of the 'due diligence' requirements of the food manufacturer/supplier, packer/filler and retailer. Registration will demonstrate to customers that their suppliers are following good hygiene practices and complete the 'due diligence' chain.
• Even in countries where "due diligence" legislation does not apply, the standard is widely recognised as providing "best practice" for the industry. |
BRC/IoP Global Standard – Food Packaging and Other Packaging Materials
Introduction
For many years, packaging manufacturers and suppliers have commissioned hygiene audits, in order to satisfy the ‘due diligence’ defence found in United Kingdom legislation, and to improve their own premises and practices. Many retailers and food manufacturers also inspected packaging premises in order to satisfy themselves that systems and procedures at their packaging suppliers meet their individual requirements.
In 2001 the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and the Institute of Packaging (IoP) published a joint standard covering food packaging materials to assist retailers and food manufacturers in the fulfilment of their legal obligations. With the assistance of representatives from throughout the industry, the Standard aimed to provide a common basis for the evaluation of companies. Since its introduction, the Standard has become a benchmark by which these evaluations are undertaken and in 2004 the scope was extended to cover all types of packaging materials.
Objectives
The objective of the BRC/IoP Packaging Standard is to specify safety, quality and operational criteria which are required to be in place within any manufacturing organisation supplying packaging to UK retailers, their suppliers or other Standard users. The format and content of the Standard are designed to allow an assessment of a company's premises, operational systems, and procedures, by an accredited third party certification body. Amongst the aims of this standard are:
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• the intention to minimise duplication of auditing,
• the reduction of conflicting requirements from various customers, and
• the promotion of "best practice" for the industry as a whole. |
Benefits
There are a number of benefits arising from the use of the BRC/IoP Standard which include the following:
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• Evaluation and registration by an accredited third-party certification body will allow recognition throughout the industry.
• Common verification criteria will allow both manufacturers and suppliers to report upon their status to food retailers and other organisations in the supply chain.
• As the Standard is comprehensive in scope covering the areas of quality, hygiene and product safety throughout the packaging industry, no additional certification of these areas should be necessary.
• At least part of the 'due diligence' requirements for the packaging manufacturer/supplier, packer/filler and retailer will be met through certification. Packaging manufacturers may also use this Standard to ensure their suppliers are following good hygiene practices and so complete the 'due diligence' chain.
• Ongoing surveillance and follow up of any corrective actions helps to establish a self-improving quality, hygiene and product safety system within the audited company. |
Requirements
The Standard requires:
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• the adoption of a formal Hazard Analysis System
• a documented Technical Management System
• the control of factory standards, products, processes and personnel. |
THE BRC GLOBAL STANDARD - STORAGE AND DISTRIBUTION
Introduction
This is the latest in the series of Global Standards developed by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) which addresses the technical requirements for suppliers, forming a base for assessment and certification.
Scope
The BRC Global Standard for Storage and Distribution is divided into four modules which are applied, as applicable, to the scope of supply:
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• storage
• distribution
• wholesale
• contracted services |
This will apply to:
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• pre-packaged and loose food products
• packaging materials
• consumer products. |
Certification will apply to activities undertaken at the location where the evaluation has taken place, and can cover one or more modules of the standard. Certification against the wholesale module and the contracted services module cannot be gained in isolation – the requirements of the storage module must be satisfied in addition to the requirements specified within those modules.
The application of the Standard commences when the product enters:
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• a third-party storage premises, or
• a third-party vehicle, or
• a premises owned by the manufacturer that is not covered by the scope of another BRC Global Standard. |
The Standard is NOT APPLICABLE to:
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• storage facilities that are under the direct control of the production site management
• operations where product processing or the handling or packing/repacking of open food occurs. |
Companies who offer contract chilling/freezing/tempering and defrost operations on loose foods will not be covered by the scope of the Standard, as these operations are deemed to be processing activities and thus an extension of a manufacturing process. Companies offering these services on loose foods are covered under the scope of the BRC Global Standard – Food.
The scope of the Standard shall also exclude live animals (unless they are prepared for placing on the market for human consumption), pre-farm-gate loose bulk agricultural products, and consumer products that are not covered by the scope of the BRC Global Standard – Consumer Products.
Benefits
There are a number of benefits arising from the use of the Standard which include:
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• Single verification audit which will allow manufacturers, agents, importers and suppliers to report upon their status to their customers and other organisations as required.
• Certification should replace the need for customers to perform technical audits and assist in the prequalification process for tendering new work.
• For food storage and distribution companies the EU Regulations (No.178/2002, 852/2004) will have a direct effect as these businesses are now classed as food businesses and as such have legal obligations to supply safe and legal products. Certification against this standard will help to provide a statutory "due diligence" defence under English Law.
• The Standard is part of a comprehensive scope, covering areas of quality, hygiene and product safety throughout the distribution chain.
• The system of ongoing surveillance and confirmation of the follow-up of corrective actions ensures that a self-improving quality, hygiene and product safety system is established. |
Requirements
The Standard requires:
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• the adoption and implementation of hazard and risk analysis (in the case of food a HACCP system) This will identify potential risks and allow procedures to be put in place to control them.
• a documented and effective quality management system
• the control of environment standards, products, processes and personnel. |
Audit Frequency
The Storage & Distribution Standard will classify a supplier as either Rating 1 or 2, as follows:
Rating 1
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• Locations working with chilled and/or frozen foods
• Locations that provide contracted services. |
Where less than 16 non-conformities are found during an evaluation visit, the frequency of audit shall be 18 months.
Rating 2
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• Locations working with ambient foods
• Locations working with consumer products
• Locations working with packaging. |
Where less than 16 non-conformities are found during an evaluation visit, the frequency of audit shall be 24 months.
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