15 replies to this topic

[aps]

I just wanted to put the feelers out there and see what everyone else is doing.....

Regarding meetings and reviews I was wondering what meetings you guys have, what frequncy and what is covered....

I understand we need to have a annually review regaring BRC standards, i was just intrested in the others

Cheers

[Simon]

I have some ideas aps but off to watch crimewatch...my favourite tv programme.
Catch you tomorrow.

Regards,
Simon

[SandyH]

I just wanted to put the feelers out there and see what everyone else is doing.....

Regarding meetings and reviews I was wondering what meetings you guys have, what frequncy and what is covered....

I understand we need to have a annually review regaring BRC standards, i was just intrested in the others

Cheers

Hi there, in South Africa I work with various auditing standards and bodies (ISO22000, SANS10330 (SA HACCP), GFSI) and all auditors require monthly HACCP/management meetings and annual review.

Hope this helps.
Sandy

[Simon]

I would recommend:

1. Daily production to review yesterday’s performance on output, downtime, quality issues etc. Identify any improvement actions and give a ‘heads up’ on things that are happening such as audits, maintenance activities etc.

2. Monthly Corrective Preventive Action meeting to review the actions arising (and allocate responsibilities and timescales) from the many outputs arising from the quality and food safety management system activities. e.g. audit results, pest control, micro audits, customer requirements, changes to standards, legislation etc.

3. Monthly internal audit team meeting.

4. 6 monthly management review

To get the flywheel turning and keep it moving.

Regards,
Simon

[aps]

what would you recommend to review at annual management meetings?

[GMO]

I think the review requirements for some aspects of section 1 on the BRC standard is now quarterly (from memory that's the KPIs). To be honest, I never feel yearly is enough anyway so we've moved our management meetings to quarterly. If you look at section 1 of the standard it gives you a list of what you need to cover; make this your agenda and bingo - done!

The other requirement which is new is that there is a minimum monthly meeting for escalation of issues to management with some quality content. We're covering that with our weekly meeting.

Honestly, this is the section of the BRC standard where they lead you through by the hand, they tell you that you have to meet up and what you need to talk about. Just read through it and do what they say as a minimum IMO. Oh and make sure you minute it and that your plan is demonstrable ie you have the meetings booked in, they're not ad hoc.

[Dr Ajay Shah]

I agree with with what has posted but also ensure that you have an agenda for the meeting which you can show to auditor. The meetings should be minuted to show what was discussed and what the outcomes of the points discussed were.

Cheers

[mind over matter]

I just wanted to put the feelers out there and see what everyone else is doing.....

Regarding meetings and reviews I was wondering what meetings you guys have, what frequncy and what is covered....

I understand we need to have a annually review regaring BRC standards, i was just intrested in the others

Cheers

There is no prescirbed frequency for management review. Frequency vary from organization to organization. Different organizations have different sizes, different needs and different management structures. What ever works for your company to determine if your system is suitable and effective is acceptable. The whole point of the requirement for management review is to provide evidence that top management is actually engaged in the operation of the management system. As for the content, as mentioned earlier this is the responsibility of top management and there is only one top. if the input required by the standard is provided to the top manager on an ongoing, continual basis, and the top manager hasn't completely abdicated responsibility, it should be a simple matter for her to a) review the inputs "at planned intervals," b) make a record of same and c) provide the output required by the standard.

[agwanda]

There is no prescirbed frequency for management review. Frequency vary from organization to organization. Different organizations have different sizes, different needs and different management structures. What ever works for your company to determine if your system is suitable and effective is acceptable. The whole point of the requirement for management review is to provide evidence that top management is actually engaged in the operation of the management system. As for the content, as mentioned earlier this is the responsibility of top management and there is only one top. if the input required by the standard is provided to the top manager on an ongoing, continual basis, and the top manager hasn't completely abdicated responsibility, it should be a simple matter for her to a) review the inputs "at planned intervals," b) make a record of same and c) provide the output required by the standard.

Dear MOM,

Suppose there are two tiers of Top Management, a case in which the MD rubber stamps what his subordinate senior managers have gone through and decided without himself giving an input as the top decision maker. Would you consider this acceptable??

Agwanda

[GMO]

There is no prescirbed frequency for management review. Frequency vary from organization to organization. Different organizations have different sizes, different needs and different management structures. What ever works for your company to determine if your system is suitable and effective is acceptable. The whole point of the requirement for management review is to provide evidence that top management is actually engaged in the operation of the management system. As for the content, as mentioned earlier this is the responsibility of top management and there is only one top. if the input required by the standard is provided to the top manager on an ongoing, continual basis, and the top manager hasn't completely abdicated responsibility, it should be a simple matter for her to a) review the inputs "at planned intervals," b) make a record of same and c) provide the output required by the standard.

For info, there is a prescribed frequency and there is prescribed content if you are aiming for BRC version 5 or 6. I think there is similar in ISO9001 as well.

[mind over matter]

For info, there is a prescribed frequency and there is prescribed content if you are aiming for BRC version 5 or 6. I think there is similar in ISO9001 as well.

Can you please tell us exactly where you found the statement that spells out the requirement of a minimum of once per year? I'm not familiar with BRC but I'm sure you cannot find that anywhere in ISO 9001.


Edit:

An Overview of new changes in BRC Global Standard for Food issue 6 1.
Management Commitment and Continual Improvement
This is a new section to the standard.

• · Requirement for clear communication channels.
• · Management Review is required annually.
• · Additional requirements specific to audit process.
• · Copy of current issue of BRC Standard is required.
• · Certification to the BRC standard must not lapse.
• · Most senior operations/production manager on site must be at audit meetings.
• · Non-conformities from previous BRC audit must be completed.

http://food-haccp.bl...rd-issue-6.html

Edited by mind over matter, 01 December 2011 - 03:32 PM.

[mind over matter]

Dear MOM,

Suppose there are two tiers of Top Management, a case in which the MD rubber stamps what his subordinate senior managers have gone through and decided without himself giving an input as the top decision maker. Would you consider this acceptable??

Agwanda

I'm not sure if I understand your question correctly, but I would say you need a single member of management with executive responsibility together with the key people (defined by your company) there to make a determination of the effectiveness and suitability of your management system in meeting the requirements of the standard, the quality policy and objectives you don't need all of top management. However, if the company's survival and success important to top management, if sure they want to see all the issues supposed to be covered in the management review (e.g. customer dissatisfaction, non-conforming products, etc)

Edited by mind over matter, 01 December 2011 - 03:31 PM.

[GMO]

Can you please tell us exactly where you found the statement that spells out the requirement of a minimum of once per year? I'm not familiar with BRC but I'm sure you cannot find that anywhere in ISO 9001.


Edit:
http://food-haccp.bl...rd-issue-6.html

I could be wrong, it's been a long time since I've worked with ISO9001. I would argue though if you've not completed any review since the last audit, how can you prove you do a review?

I was slightly wrong on BRC, they do specify in section 1.1.3 that it must be minimum annual, however, they also require that you report and monitor KPIs to senior management quarterly in section 1.1.2 and I've got no idea how you do that without having a meeting.

It also requires in section 1.1.4 that you have a demonstrable meeting programme to enable the escallation of legal, quality and food safety issues on a minimum monthly basis.

Now the above is very prescriptive but IME there are few companies which could genuinely say that they would not benefit from the above. In most companies there is a daily or weekly meeting to escallate issues and anything between monthly and quarterly reviews. Is quality really only worth talking about once a year or even less as you're suggesting? Are senior members of your team that busy they can't afford 1 meeting a year to quality? Surely that shows lack of senior management commitment!

[mind over matter]

I could be wrong, it's been a long time since I've worked with ISO9001. I would argue though if you've not completed any review since the last audit, how can you prove you do a review?

I was slightly wrong on BRC, they do specify in section 1.1.3 that it must be minimum annual, however, they also require that you report and monitor KPIs to senior management quarterly in section 1.1.2 and I've got no idea how you do that without having a meeting.

It also requires in section 1.1.4 that you have a demonstrable meeting programme to enable the escallation of legal, quality and food safety issues on a minimum monthly basis.

Now the above is very prescriptive but IME there are few companies which could genuinely say that they would not benefit from the above. In most companies there is a daily or weekly meeting to escallate issues and anything between monthly and quarterly reviews. Is quality really only worth talking about once a year or even less as you're suggesting? Are senior members of your team that busy they can't afford 1 meeting a year to quality? Surely that shows lack of senior management commitment!

Strictly speaking about ISO 9001... It says:

5.6 Management Review

5.6.1 General

Top management shall review the organization's quality management system, at planned intervals, to ensure its continuing suitability, adequacy and effectiveness. This review shall include assessing opportunities for improvement and the need for changes to the quality management system, including the quality policy and quality objectives.

Records from management reviews shall be maintained (see 4.2.4).

5.6.2 Review Input

The input to management review shall include information on

a) results of audits,
b) customer feedback,
c) process performance and product conformity,
d) status of preventive and corrective actions,
e) follow-up actions from previous management reviews,
f) changes that could affect the quality management system, and
g) recommendations for improvement.

5.6.3 Review Output

The output from the management review shall include any decisions and actions related to

a) improvement of the effectiveness of the quality management system and its processes,
b) improvement of product related to customer requirements, and
c) resource needs.

Nowhere is the word meeting used. There is no requirement for a meeting per se. The key words are "review" and "at planned intervals". No method is specified. No frequency is specified.

Again, I'm not familiar with BRC, but KPI is only one acceptable method to evaluate effectiveness for Management Review Process.

I think as long as you have regularly used the required info to review the system and take appropriate action, that's all you need, IMO.

Edited by mind over matter, 02 December 2011 - 12:48 AM.

[Skye]

I have a Management Review Record for recording annual management review meetings which detail the areas of evaluation outlined in clUSE 1.1.3 of thr BRC Standard, and includes an action plan, distribution list and details of actioins completed, but has anyone got any suggestions on what a monthly management meeting record should be drawn up?

[Simon]

Personally I've always operated with an annual management review, monthly KPI's and a monthly CAPA meeting to review actions generated by the Food Safety and Quality Management System, progress of existing actions, new actions arising and to allocate responsibilities and time-scales to actions.

KPI = Key Performance Indicator
CAPA = Corrective And Preventive Action

Regards,
Simon