Sponsored by safety chain
Tiffany Donica, SafetyChain FSQA Solutions Architect
A single food poisoning outbreak can damage a company’s reputation and cost millions of dollars. That’s why more and more food manufacturers are making the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) a priority. certification. This internationally recognized certification is the gold standard in food safety and is essential for food manufacturers who want to ensure the safety of their products.
Business benefits of being GFSI certified
Many companies are exploring GFSI certification programs in their supply chains, including Amazon, The Coca-Cola Company, and Target. In fact, the main reason many food and beverage companies seek certification is to continue doing business with existing customers or to start doing business with new customers. Ultimately, today’s food and beverage companies can leverage GFSI certification to demonstrate their commitment to quality and safety in order to compete with big brands.
better performance
Certification also drives internal business results. According to information from 2017, study Published by Journal of Food Protection® Almost 90% of respondents felt that certification would help address food safety concerns, and 74% said they would obtain certification again even if their customers did not request it. Most companies also witnessed an improvement in their key performance indicators (KPIs) in the year immediately after achieving GFSI certification.
safer food
GFSI standards also support safer products. Certification to a GFSI-recognized standard provides a shared risk management tool, optimizing food safety management at all levels of the supply chain. Once your company is certified, Food safety management systems are continually improved as standards evolve. Therefore, you are always up to date with the latest safety requirements.
Resource optimization
Although achieving GFSI certification requires an initial investment of time and effort, the benefits of certification are impactful. For example, reducing audit redundancy allows a company to focus its time and efforts on more strategic initiatives. Additionally, complying with GFSI standards achieves a reduction in failures, which can also have a positive impact on your bottom line.
How to become GFSI certified
Again, GFSI itself does not perform any certification or accreditation activities.Therefore, you must first decide Which scheme is best? Choose the right one for your organization based on the type of business activity. Next, contact the program owners that cover your scope to determine which certification program is appropriate for your activity. You can then request a list of approved certification bodies that perform audits on your program, or contact the certification bodies directly to request an audit.
But first, you need to obtain a copy of the certification programs you have collected. Read the requirements carefully to identify if there are gaps between your current food safety practices and where they should be. Audit success. Meet with your management team and other key stakeholders to discuss costs and action steps required for preparation, audits, and ongoing compliance. You may also consider conducting a pre-audit before the official inspection or attending a training course to further enhance your preparation.
Achieving ongoing GFSI compliance
Of course, the process of achieving certification is only the first step in developing a robust GFSI program. Once certified, you will also need to ensure ongoing compliance. This should include ongoing audit preparation, vendor management, scheduling and monitoring of necessary activities, and performance trends for continuous improvement. Each of these activities is essential for compliance, but can be time- and resource-intensive if performed regularly.
To reduce administrative burden, companies We have implemented technology to manage GFSI certification requirements. Automated task scheduling and workflows can save your team tons of time while ensuring that all tasks are completed. Additionally, online portals can simplify data capture for remote teams and multiple locations. Instrument data extraction can also be used to ensure efficiency and accuracy. Additionally, real-time data analysis and program specifications allow you to instantly receive nonconformity alerts and achieve your documented CAPA in a timely manner.
Food safety and quality management software also provides automated vendor program management to help ensure suppliers comply with GFSI, FSMA, and internal supplier program requirements. This allows you to take a proactive rather than reactive approach to nonconformities throughout your supply chain. Finally, the software enables continuous performance improvement through data-driven decision-making as well as continuous audit readiness through electronic data capture and storage.
The road ahead
Clearly, achieving GFSI certification is a significant undertaking for food and beverage companies. No matter which benchmark scheme your company is certified under, a number of changes will be made to your facility to facilitate continued GFSI compliance. Nevertheless, the payoff is worth the effort, as it has the potential to improve performance, promote safer food, and attract more customers. There are also several schemes to consider, so it is possible for all types of food and beverage companies to pursue certification to his GFSI accreditation standards, including processors, packaging facilities, and everything in between.
Of course, ensuring that operations consistently comply with GFSI standards is no easy task. Fortunately, technology Automate key tasks like audit preparation and help streamline compliance.
- QA Manager at Epi Breads
- Director of Quality and Continuous Improvement at Surlean Foods
- Senior Manager, Food Safety and Quality Systems, CTI Foods
- QA Manager at Five Star Custom Foods
