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Combining BRC and IFS Food Standards

#1 Shawminator

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Netherlands
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Posted 29 November 2011 - 01:21 PM

Hi,

Just looking for some information. I recently joined a company who have BRC certification. Due the the markets we are expanding into - more customers are requiring IFS certification.

Does anyone have experience of having both systems? Is it possible to combine elements - rather than repeating for both??

I would appreciate you thoughts.

Regards,

S

#2 Madam A. D-tor

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Gender:Female
Interests:meat, meat products, ready to eat, food safety, QMS, audits, hazard analyses, IFS, BRC, SQF, HACCP, ISO 9001, ISO 22000
Netherlands
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Posted 01 December 2011 - 02:45 PM

Dear shawminator,

If you already have a Quality manual system for BRC issue 5. This will be the same system for IFS issue 5. You do not need to establish a second system, quality manual or procedures.
The standards (issue 5) are very similar. If you have BRC standards implemented you will have 89 % of the IFS standard.
Just check the IFS standard for the differences with BRC. For example regarding policies and objectives, inspections, training evaluation, etc.

I am performing combined BRC/IFS audits in the Netherlands on a weekly base. You really do not need to have two documented systems.
Before I became an auditor, I was QA responsible in a food factory, which had a combined system for BRC/IFS/Dutch HACCP/ISO. Combined systems are IMO very common. Actually the word 'combined system' is wrong. It is one system which includes the requirements of all standards.