Consumer Goods & Retail

• ISO 9001-Quality Management System,

• ISO 22000-Food Safety Management System,

• HACCP-Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points,

• GHP-Good Hygiene Practice,

• GWP-Good Warehousing Practice,

• GDP-Good Storage and Distribution Practice,

ISO 9001:2015-Quality Management System:

Most organizations face challenges when developing a quality management system. These challenges are potentially greater due to:

• Availability of resources.

• Costs involved in setting up and maintaining a quality management system.

• Difficulty in understanding and applying a quality management system, especially concepts such as organizational context, organizational knowledge, process approach and risk-based thinking.

1.What is a quality management system?

A quality management system (QMS) is the way an organization directs and controls its activities that are related to achieving its intended results.

Broadly, it consists of organization’s structure together with the planning, processes, resources and documented information that is used to achieve quality objectives (such as for meeting customers’ and relevant interested parties’ requirements, to improve quality management system, or to improve products and services).

Every organization will already have a management structure and on that basis its quality management system is built. Organization might be fulfilling many of its requirements included in ISO 9001, but has simply not yet organized its activities into a formal quality management system.

2.Why have one?

The adoption of a QMS is a strategic decision that helps an organization to improve its overall performance and to provide a sound basis for its sustainable development initiatives.

Many organizations implement a formal quality management system after finding that their customers want assurance that the products and services they are looking to purchase or obtain will meet their requirements for quality. Those customers are looking for the confidence that can be provided by an organization offering products and services produced under an effective quality management system, such as one conforming to ISO 9001.

A quality management system, on its own, will not necessarily lead to an improvement of work processes or to improvements of products and services. It will not solve all industry problems. It is a means for organizations to take a more systematic approach to fulfilling the organization’s objectives, which in turn should achieve such improvements.

3.What is ISO 9001:2015?

ISO 9001:2015 sets out the criteria for a quality management system and is the only standard in the family that can be certified to (although this is not a requirement).

4.What benefits we can assure through the implementation?

 Ensure that customers get consistent, good quality of products and services, which can bring the business benefits.

 Assess the overall context of organization to define who is affected by its work and what they expect from you. This will enable you to clearly state your objectives and identify new business opportunities.

 Put your customers first, making sure you consistently meet their needs and enhance their satisfaction. This can lead to more repeat custom, new clients and increased business for your organization.

 Work in a more efficient way as all your processes will be aligned and understood by everyone in the business or organization. This increases productivity and efficiency, bringing internal costs down.

 Meet the necessary statutory and regulatory requirements.

 Expand into new markets, as some sectors and clients require ISO 9001 before doing business.

 Identify and address the risks associated with your organization.

5.This standard is applicable to:

Any legal dealing with sectors like, Pharma, Chemicals, Food Processing, Iron and Steel, Construction, Automotive, Aerospace, Granite, and Service organizations like Trading Houses, Banks, Hospitals, Diagnostic Centers, Insurance, Educational Institutions, Government Agencies, NGOs, etc. are eligible to implement and get certified.

2. ISO 22000:2018-Food Safety Management System:

Whatever their size, or product, all food producers have a responsibility to manage the safety of their products and the well-being of their consumers.

The consequences of unsafe food can be serious. ISO’s food safety management standards help organizations identify and control food safety hazards, at the same time as working together with other ISO management standards, such as ISO 9001. Applicable to all types of producer, ISO 22000 provides a layer of reassurance within the global food supply chain, helping products cross borders and bringing people food that they can trust.

1. What is ISO 22000:2018?

ISO 22000:2018, Food safety management systems – Requirements for any organization in the food chain, sets out the requirements for a food safety management system. It defines what an organization must do to demonstrate its ability to control food safety hazards and ensure that food is safe for consumption

2. Why to have ISO 22000:2018?

It sets out the requirements for a food safety management system and can be certified to it. It maps out what an organization needs to do to demonstrate its ability to control food safety hazards in order to ensure that food is safe.

3. Key potential benefits of using ISO 22000:2018

• Reduction in food safety incidents and cost.

• Compliance with legal and Codex HACCP principle.

• Lower risk of liability.

• Fewer errors and customer complaints.

• Continual improvement in products & processes.

• Resource optimization – internally and along the food chain.

• Sustainable food safety performance.

• Improves consumer / supplier /regulator confidence and relationships.

• Platform for process and management control and improvement.

• Competitive advantage in the marketplace.

• Promotes international trade.

• Improved overall performance.

4. Standard applicable to

Any organization within the food chain, regardless of size, from feed producers, primary producers through food manufacturers, transport and storage operators and subcontractors to retail and food outlets.

Manufacturers and processors, service providers, transport operators and subcontractors, warehousing and distribution, retail stores and food services, as well as organizations closely related to the sector, such as manufacturers of equipment, packaging, cleaning products, additives and ingredients.

3.FSSC 22000:2018 -Food safety System Certification

a) What is FSSC 22000:2018?

The FSSC 22000 Food Safety System Certification provides a framework for effectively managing organization’s food safety responsibilities. FSSC 22000 is fully recognized by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) and is based on existing ISO Standards. It demonstrates that a company has robust Food Safety Management System in place that meets the requirements of customers and consumers.

b) What benefits will FSSC 22000 bring to business?

• reduce hazard and incident risk.

• you can increase your reputation, earn customers and reduce costs, increase your profits

• improve your processes and helps you optimize your resources by reducing your costs.

• Prioritizing access to international markets;

• Ensuring the collective responsibility of all employees and thus implementing an effective self-control system;

• Building trust in the supply chain;

• to enter new markets and establish new partnerships.

c) Why FSSC 22000:2018?

• Safeguarding food safety risks from within and outside an organization.

• Compliance with relevant legislation and regulations.

• Meeting customer requirements, including major retailers and manufacturers.

• International standard accepted by food buyers worldwide.

• GFSI recognised scheme, hence meets the highest standards globally leading to international food industry acceptance.

d) Applicable to

The retail & wholesale sector such as.

• supermarkets and hypermarkets

• convenience stores

• wholesale (cash and carry) stores

• mass or club stores

• food halls in departments stores

• bakeries, butchers, etc.

Catering and food services sector:

• Catering facilities including those serving airline, railways, cruise and passenger ships)

• Hospitals and healthcare facilities

• School and industry dining rooms

• Restaurants and Coffee shops

• Hotels, Hospitality and Banqueting Functions

• Food services and food stores

Transport and storage of food and packaging materials:

• farm to processor

• primary processor to manufacturer

• manufacturer to off-site warehouses

• warehouse to retail store or restaurant

• store or restaurant to final customer

Food manufacturers such as:

• cheese factories and slaughterhouses

• cereal grain factories

• ready to eat food manufacturers

• canned food processing companies, cookie factories and other manufactures of food products with a long shelf life

Packaging and packaging materials:

• Flexible and rigid plastics, such as foils, blisters, crates, sachets

• Paper, such as cartons, boxes, sacks

• Metal, such as cans, bottles, boxes

• Glass, such as jars, bottles

• Shipping and transport containers, such as big bags, drums, tanks

Animal Feed is critical for all animals used in the food supply chain.

4.BRC Global Standards for Food safety

BRCGS is the leading trade body for UK retailers. Whether a retailer is a large multiple or department store, or a small independent shop, the BRCGS protects their interests. The BRCGS has developed a set of Global Standards, which is an international product safety and quality certification program and suppliers in more than 100 countries.

What is BRCGS for Food Safety?

The Global Standard for Food Safety provides a framework to manage product safety, integrity, legality and quality, and the operational controls for these criteria in the food and food ingredient manufacturing, processing and packing industry.

The Standard focuses on:

• encouraging development of product safety culture;

• expanding the requirements for environmental monitoring to reflect the increasing importance of this technique;

• encouraging sites to further develop systems for security and food defence;

• adding clarity to the requirements for high-risk, high-care and ambient high-care production risk zones;

• providing greater clarity for sites manufacturing pet food; and

• ensuring global applicability and bench-marking to the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI).

Why BRCGS Food Safety?

Most British and many European and Global retailers and brand owners, as well as food processors, only include suppliers certified to the BRC Global Standard for Food Safety in their supply chain.

• Provide evidence of commitment, and, in case of food safety incident, legal defense in the frame of the “due diligence” concept.

• Build and operate a management system capable of helping you to better meet food quality/safety requirements and legal compliance.

• Provide a tool for food safety performance improvement and the means to monitor and measure food safety performance effectively.

• Facilitate reductions in product waste, product reworking, and product recall.

What benefits it brings to business?

• Increased market access in the global supply chain

• Brand protection

• Reduction of food safety and liability risks to your company

• Demonstrated commitment to food safety and quality

• Reduced audit redundancy

• Improve your quality and food safety system

• Streamline relationships with EU retailers

• Achieve operational efficiencies – less waste, more organization, increased profits

Applicable to

• Supplier of retailer-branded products and branded products,

• food or ingredients for use by food-service companies,

• catering companies,

• food manufacturers.

• Warehouses and pack houses

• Slaughter houses

• Food processing

• Canneries

• Handlers of high risk ready-to-eat product.

4) BRC IoP-BRC Global Standard for packaging and packaging products:

BRC Global Standards, in partnership with The Packaging Society (IOP), created the BRC IOP Global Standard for packaging and packaging products to meet the demand. Like all GFSI-recognized standards, it incorporates feedback from key industry stakeholders to ensure it’s comprehensive enough for the global food industry.

What is BRC Global Standard for packaging and packaging products?

The Standard applies primarily to the manufacturing of converted packaging used in food packaging and filling operations. It is also intended to apply to: prior converting operations; operations supplying packaging materials from stock where additional product processing or repacking occurs; and, consumer disposable goods that come into contact with food that are made from packaging materials or material intended for food preparation.

Why BRC IoP?

• meeting the needs of retailers and brand owners to reduce the audit burden

• better recognition of the diversity of the packaging industry and its customers’ demands

• encouraging greater transparency and traceability in the supply chain

• encouraging adoption of the Standard as a means of improving product safety at small sites and facilities where processes are still in development.

Benefits of the standard

1. increase transparency and product traceability within the supply chain

2. improve the security and hygiene of your products

3. raise customer satisfaction

4. Improve supplier standards and consistency, and avoid product failure

5. Eliminate multiple audits of food manufacturers such as product development, or specific quality issues

The BRC IOP Standard is applicable for:

• Glass manufacture and forming

• Paper-making and conversion

• Metal forming

• Rigid plastics forming

• Flexible plastics manufacture

• Other manufacturing

• Print processes

• Chemical processes

5.Introduction to HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point)

It is a widely accepted technique throughout the world for preventing microbiological, chemical and physical contamination along the food supply chain.

The HACCP guides to identify the risks, establish critical control points, set critical limits and ensure control measures which are validated, verified and monitored before implementation. The effective implementation of HACCP Certification can enhance the ability of companies to protect the brand image, develop consumer confidence and conform to regulatory and market requirements.

What is HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point)?

HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) is the systematic preventative approach to food safety. It addresses physical, chemical, and biological hazards as a means of prevention rather than finished product inspection.

The HACCP concept was pioneered in the 1960’s by the Pillsbury Company, the United States Army and the US National Aeronautics and NASA as a collaborative development for the production of safe foods for the US space programs. Pillsbury introduced and adopted HACCP as the system that could provide the greatest safety while reducing dependence on end product inspection and testing.

Recognizing the importance of HACCP to food control, the 20th session of Codex Alimentarius Commission held in Geneva Switzerland adopted Guidelines for the application of Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP).

Principles of HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point)

• Conduct a hazard analysis

• Determine the Critical Control points

• Detect Critical Limits

• Establish a system to monitor the control of the CCP

• Take corrective action when monitoring indicates that a particular CCP is not in control

• Form procedures for verification to conform that the HACCP system is working effectively

• Prepare Documentation concerning all procedures and records appropriate to the above principles and their application

Why to implement HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point)?

To prioritize and controls potential hazards in food production. By controlling major food risks, such as microbiological, chemical and physical contaminants, the industry can better assure consumers that its products are safe.

What benefits HACCP brings to organization?

• Staff and business owners gain confidence and are better equipped on food safety measures.

• Cost reductions to small food business in the medium and long term.

• More efficient use of staff, provision of adequate documentation and reduced waste,

• The increased level of process control, product consistency and improvements in traceability.

• Access to some markets is increased and more customers are attracted.

• Improved education and awareness of staff working in food businesses.

• staff members are empowered when their input is sought and valued.

• A basis for defence against litigation and can bring reduced insurance costs.

• Better shine corporate image of the business

Applicable to

Any establishment supplying fruits & vegetables, dairy products, meat & meat products, fish & fishery products, spices & condiments, nuts & allied products, cereals, bakery & confectionery, restaurants, hotels, fast food centers etc. can use HACCP.

1.Codex GMP: Recommended International code of practice- General principles of food hygiene.

People have the right to expect the food they eat to be safe and suitable for consumption. Food borne illness and food-borne injury are at best unpleasant; at worst, they can be fatal. But there are also other consequences. Outbreaks of food-borne illness can damage trade and tourism, and lead to loss of earnings, unemployment and litigation. Food spoilage is wasteful, costly and can adversely affect trade and consumer confidence.

International food trade, and foreign travel, are increasing, bringing important social and economic benefits. But this also makes the spread of illness around the world easier.

Eating habits too, have undergone major change in many countries over the last two decades and new food production, preparation and distribution techniques have developed to reflect this. Effective hygiene control, therefore, is vital to avoid the adverse human health and economic consequences of food-borne illness, food-borne injury, and food spoilage.

What is codex GMP?

These General Principles lay a firm foundation for ensuring food hygiene and should be used in conjunction with each specific code of hygienic practice, where appropriate, and the guidelines on microbiological criteria. The document follows the food chain from primary production through to final consumption, highlighting the key hygiene controls at each stage. It recommends a HACCP-based approach wherever possible to enhance food safety as described in Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) System and Guidelines for its Application (Annex).

Why Codex GMP?

Food spoilage is wasteful, costly and can adversely affect trade and consumer confidence.

International food trade and foreign travel are increasing, bringing important social and economic benefits. But this also makes the spread of illness around the world easier.

Eating habits too, have undergone major change in many countries over the last two decades and new food production, preparation and distribution techniques have developed to reflect this.

Effective hygiene control, therefore, is vital to avoid the adverse human health and economic consequences of food borne illness, food borne injury, and food spoilage.

What are the benefits of Codex GMP?

• Demonstrating your commitment to food safety

• Providing confidence to your customers

• Providing a systematic methodology to effectively identify and manage food safety risks

• Promoting the review and continual improvement of your food safety management system

Whom Codex GMP is applicable?

Everyone, including farmers and growers, manufacturers and processors, food handlers and consumers, has a responsibility to assure that food is safe and suitable for consumption.

Governments, industry (including individual primary producers, manufacturers, processors, food service operators and retailers) and consumers alike.

Our Consulting approach:

• Gap Analysis: Assessment of existing management system practices against the selected standard requirements.

• Project Plan: Prepare a implementation project plan based on the time lines looking for.

• Orientation Training: Top/Senior Management orientation on selected standard requirements and implementation action plans preparatio.

• Developing different levels of documentation ( Tier 1-3/4): Identification of processes required for the products produced and services provided; External and internal issues affecting the business, interested parties needs and expectations, Framing draft quality policy, organizational objectives, role, responsibility and authority, various risks affecting and opportunities arises, functional and system procedures, different implementation formats and checklists

• System Implementation: Implementation of the selected management system as per the developed documentation.

• Company-wide Training: Training on detailed clause wise requirements and relating them to their departments, 5-S implementation, and Internal audit.

• Internal Audits: Periodic assessment of system implementation and corrective actions.

• Pre-assessment: Initial audit by Certifying agency, and, implementation of corrective actions.

• Final Assessment: Certification audit by the Certifying agency and recommendation for certification.