Do GFSI audits reduce food safety audits?
GFSI audits are now mandated widely; of course there are many benefits to certification, but the systems do take a lot of time and effort to develop and maintain. The question is does the investment in time get paid back with a reduction of customer audits?
Please answer the October 2014 member poll and add your comments below.
I can predict Caz's answer as NO! :shades:
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That would be not only no.... H*#ll No! Think they have increased. And to make it worse, now customers want you to use a particular auditing company. No big deal if you only have one customer with a preference, but now most of them have a preference. Think that is the new "in vogue" requirement.
What has increased for me is the number of questionnaires I get. All at the end asking for a copy of my GFSI certificate and it does seem to keep them at bay (maybe they're just doing it as part of their customer approval program since the demand of being GFSI certified is on the rise). Some company's that think they're higher than you know what like to come over with a watered down version of a GFSI audit. On the other hand I have had (in the past) some customers come with ridiculous notions of what should be included in a Quality/Food Safety manual. I hate to admit but some suggestions have helped.
so my answer...Yes
Final Answer?.....Yes
sorry cazyncymru...I remember reading your comments on another post :yikes: .
I still have the same number of audits per year (five regulatory, and one GFSI), however like RG3 I get pestered constantly by customers for "nickle and dime" things that do take a good amount of time.
BTW, I tried to vote the poll and I get kicked out to the main page. :tardis:
Yes, I also agree with RG3 and Slab.....the questionnaires and request for documentation can be almost a full job itself.
Great poll!
As I am sitting waiting for 4 auditors to show up to perform a 3 1/2 day customer audit for the 2 products that we run for them one week a month, I think I have to say NO, NO, NO!!!
I can feel your pain Caz, my total audit days per year between GMP, GFSI, Customers have more than tripled since becoming certified to a GFSI accepted standard. The funniest part of it is most of the customer audits are from the companies that required us to get the GFSI certification! :angry2:
I stopped a presenter in her tracks in June at a GFSI meeting when she presented facts about audit reductions related to GFSI and then asked if anyone gets more than 4-5 audits a year. When I raised my hand she ask if I thought GFSI would help and I replied that it had not so far! :doh:
We're going to have an open day, get them all in together, present everything, then point them in the direction of McDonalds for their lunch!
We're going to have an open day, get them all in together, present everything, then point them in the direction of McDonalds for their lunch!
No homemade jam? :giggle:
No homemade jam? :giggle:
I'm not feeling the love towards them!! :mwah:
We're going to have an open day, get them all in together, present everything, then point them in the direction of McDonalds for their lunch!
You joke (or at least I think you are joking) but our senior management asked if they could do that and I had to point out that little thing call confidentiality!
You joke (or at least I think you are joking) but our senior management asked if they could do that and I had to point out that little thing call confidentiality!
LOL Sod confidentiality!
The first year were were GFSI certified, we were not audited by several customers that had previously audited us annually. The next year, they were back. I think they do not have confidence in the certification to insure we are doing what we need to do ALL of the time, not just during the audit. I find they are spending more time on the plant floor watching employee practices and checking sanitation than checking documentation.
I'm not feeling the love towards them!! :mwah:
Ah there are many that I don't feel warm and fuzzy about. At least you will point them to a McDonalds. Some days that seems to nice as well.
The first year were were GFSI certified, we were not audited by several customers that had previously audited us annually. The next year, they were back. I think they do not have confidence in the certification to insure we are doing what we need to do ALL of the time, not just during the audit. I find they are spending more time on the plant floor watching employee practices and checking sanitation than checking documentation.
I can understand the lack of confidence. I have seen systems certified by several auditors that did not even come close to meeting the standard. It was terrible. Yet several auditors with the same company certified them with a high score.
Then I have seen auditors want to give critical findings over nonsense. It is hard to have faith in the system sometimes.
The answer should be YES. However, most people link customer audits to food safety and end up with NO.
The objective of the GFSI audit is to cut down on customer audit time and make the customer discussions more focusee on product raher than the rest of the businees. Remember that GFSI covers the basics - Customers cover the specifics.
Althuogh the number of audits has not changed hopefuly the way the audit content has.
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Has the number of food safety audits decreased with the introduction of GSFI audits?
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I believe the intent is the question (from the intent of the GFSI benchmarks), "As a result of the introduction of GSFI benchmarked audits, has the number of food safety audits decreased?"
However, in the last 5 years many food safety concerns have been moving in the food manufacturing industry to cause more scrutiny from buyers of foods. The GSFI benchmarked audits are the result but we still seem to have even more risk exposure than ever before. I surmise that if food safety audits (global or otherwise) were not benchmarked by GSFI; there would be more "audits" of every shape, size and color, but eventually some other attempt at harmonization (by the virtue of the objective target/goal and logic of Food Safety best practices).
So I vote a resounding "Yes".
-Baron
I vote no. For my company the current system is terribly broken. Before GFSI I had 18 days in audits in 2010, I am just wrapping up my 2018 schedule and just booked my 23rd through 27th day in audit this year. That's 27 days a year sitting across from a food safety auditor, not to mention all of the time to prepare and follow up.
It is such a waste for qualified staff to sit in audits repeatedly being asked the same questions by multiple auditors. That time could be better used if we could use it to improve our systems.
I still have the same number of audits per year (five regulatory, and one GFSI), however like RG3 I get pestered constantly by customers for "nickle and dime" things that do take a good amount of time.
BTW, I tried to vote the poll and I get kicked out to the main page. :tardis:
I would kill for 6 audits a year