ISO 22000 is a Food safety management system which is outcome focused, providing requirements for any organization in the food industry with objective to help to improve overall performance in food safety. These standards are intended to ensure safety in the global food supply chain. The standards involve the overall guidelines for food safety management and also focuses on traceability in the feed and food chain.
What is ISO 22000?
ISO 22000 is a set of guidelines that help businesses to set out and manage a Food Safety Management System (FSMS). The processes and procedures that a business implements through ISO 22000 will help them to identify, monitor, reduce and prevent food safety hazards at any stage of the food chain. Using a Food Safety Management System will help you ensure the food you supply is of a high standard and free from contamination.
Benefits of Getting ISO 22000 Certification
By becoming ISO 22000 certified, you will demonstrate your commitment to food safety to customers and other stakeholders. You will also introduce internationally recognised Food Safety Management processes into your business that will strengthen your risk management controls, and improve transparency and accountability. This will enhance your brand’s reputation, which in turn will give you a competitive advantage and help you win new business.
The benefits you get access to with the ISO 22000 Certification are:
- Embed internationally recognised Food Safety Management processes in your business,
- Strengthen risk management controls across your food supply chain,
- Improve the confidence of customers, suppliers and other stakeholders in the safety of your food and your ability to reduce health risks,
- Improve transparency and accountability in your organisation by clarifying responsibilities,
- Help you optimise and update your systems through a process of continuous improvement, so they remain effective,
- Reassure your management team that the organisation has robust and effective food safety procedures across its supply chain,
- Ensure your entire food supply chain has robust controls that prevent the introduction of hazardous materials and contamination
The requirements of ISO 22000 Certification
The ISO 22000 standard uses a structure of clauses which, roughly grouped together, cover four key areas:
- Food safety– the processes and procedures your business needs to follow throughout its supply chain in order to keep food safe for consumption,
- Management Responsibility– the areas where your management team need to focus on, be involved with and be accountable for,
- Resource Management– how resources such as people, infrastructure and facilities must be assigned to ensure the best possible performance,
- Measurement, Analysis and Improvement – the final clauses cover how you can determine if your Management System is working as expected, facilitating the continual improvement of your system.
How to Become ISO 22000 Certified?
In order to obtain an ISO 22000 Certification, a company or organization must implement an Food Safety Management System (FSMS).. The achievement of this certification is implemented through a comprehensive assessment that is done in multiple stages.
The ISO auditors need to determine that your organization has successfully implemented the Food Safety Management System (FSMS), while complying with all ISO requirements. Once your organization gets certified, you can use the ISO 22000 Certification in marketing and promotional materials.
Start Your Journey To ISO 22000 Certification
To start your journey to ISO 22000 Certification, you can contact us for a free quote. We will deliver a quote that is specifically made to meet your requirements, and we support various ISO standards.
FAQ
What industries implement ISO 22000?
Since the ISO 22000 Certification is 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 outlet of an event, many companies, and organizations that host events regularly opt for this certification.
How long does the ISO 22000 Certification last?
The ISO 22000 Certification lasts for three years, and it is regularly checked and audited every year to ensure that your organization is compliant with all regulations. Once the three years have passed, you will be required to do a recertification.
How do I implement ISO 22000?
ISO 22000 is made of up 10 sections known as Clauses. Unlike most other ISO management system standards, an organization must comply with all of these requirements; this means they cannot declare one or more clauses as being not applicable to them. In ISO 22000, in addition to Clauses 4.0-10.0 there is a further set of requirements detailed mostly in Clause 8, which include the HACCP principles as per Codex Alimentarius. This is considered the core of the system as well as the operational level of the FSMS.
