BRCGS CERTIFICATION 
FOR FOOD SAFETY

BUSINESS CHALLENGE 

Demand for food safety is growing. Consumers and authorities increasingly demand that the food we eat should offer high levels of quality and security. If a problem occurs, the source of error needs to be found quickly and the problem rectified. 

Demands are typically directed to the retail trade first, but responsibility now spreads through the entire food chain to include food producers, primary producers and transporters.

WHAT AND WHY BRCGS?

• BRCGS is BRC Global Standards (Brand Reputation through Compliance), new branding to replace BRC (British Retail Consortium) and be accessible to global market.

• BRC is an international Food Safety Management Systems standard, and is one of the GFSI (Global Food Safety Initiatives) recognized certification schemes.

• It contains requirements for food processors to follow to build an effective food safety management system. It’s same for packaging manufacturers, Agents & Brokers and Storage &Distribution – there will be a management system for Consumer Products also.

• BRC Global Standards for Food Safety, Packaging and Packaging Materials, Storage and Distribution, Consumer Products, Agents and Brokers, Retail, and Gluten Free set the benchmark for good manufacturing practices in the supply chain, and help provide assurance to customers that the products are safe, legal and of high quality.

ADDENDUM MODULES

• BRC - Traded goods
• BRC - Meat Supply Chain Assurance
• BRC - ASDA Retailer Addendum - Audit module
• BRC -ASDA Free from module
• BRC - Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA)
• BRC - Association of European Coeliac Society (AOEC Gluten Free)

Global Market Program is rebranding to BRC START!

START! has been developed to complement the BRC Global Standard for Food Safety. It is designed as an entry level programme to encourage continual improvement and assist sites in developing their food safety systems to a point where they can achieve full BRCGS certification

This programme is developed to enable audits and certification against two levels of requirements: basic and intermediate which will provide recognised stepping stones towards eventual certification to the full Standard (if required) along with providing a development platform for new and existing auditors.

START! Audits is available for sites from 1st February 2019 and programme has replaced the existing Issue 7 Global Markets programme.

BENEFITS OF BRCGs:

• Recognized by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI)

• Global recognition of the Standard by customers with additional modules reduce audit burden

• Designed to reflect best practice and provide a common sense, risk-based approach to product safety and certification

• The BRCGS aims to harmonize international food safety standards with the support of the world’s top retailers and food manufacturers

• Support to access to your markets in the UK, Germany and France 

• Strengthened relationships with retail distributors

• Increased transparency 

• Reinforced customer confidence

• Streamlined production 

• Minimization of significant food risks

• Effective control of internal processes and minimizing risk of failure

• Signal sent about a proactive approach to food safety 

• Focus kept on your essential challenges

• BRCGS for food packaging materials: the Global Standard for Packaging Materials was designed to protect the consumer by providing a common basis for the certification of companies supplying packaging to food producers