8 replies to this topic

[marie246]

Hello,

 

I work for a small food repackaging/fulfillment house.  Repackaging is only 15% of our business.  We have been certified by a Third Party Auditor through Costco.

 

We now have customer who wants us to shrink wrap and assemble cases of beverages that will be going into a super market.  We are not packaging any exposed foods for this customer.  The QA dept. from the market chain is requesting for a full copy of our audit and it's corrective actions.  Do we have to provide a full copy of our audit and corrective actions to them?

 

I just want to know how much is too much since our audit we received was bases on Costco's requirements.

 

Thank you in advance.

 

 

[agasr]

Hi, 

My two cents being that given it is a new/potential customer, I would not share the full audit report.

 

I would share the audit checklist to share the scope the audit and it may relate to their interest.
May be just the score page or the summary page. That too, only after securing Non-disclosure agreement. 

 

Regards, 

[RMAV]

Check the terms of the Costco audit to ensure that you actually have the right to share it.

 

In general, I do not release a full audit report unless I absolutely must.  Even so, it's usually a non-issue.  The people requesting them are often as busy as I am and don't have time to sit and read the report, but they have something to show their auditor.

[QAGB]

Check the terms of the Costco audit to ensure that you actually have the right to share it.

 

In general, I do not release a full audit report unless I absolutely must.  Even so, it's usually a non-issue.  The people requesting them are often as busy as I am and don't have time to sit and read the report, but they have something to show their auditor.

 

 

I agree with RMAV. If a customer asks us for our audit information, I usually distribute the certificate only. If they further ask for the full audit report, I will submit it to them. As part of our supplier approval program, we have to ask our suppliers for audit documents. I tend to ask for the report -- if possible (only the certificate is required). Our suppliers are usually pretty forthcoming with their audit reports. I don't think I've had anyone question me, and I don't read the reports; I may skim through them when I receive them though.

 

QAGB

[cerving]

We do not release our full audit, but will release the corrective action report if requested.  Most customers, and potential customers are good with just our certificate.

[Tamale]

When I get this king of request, and its frequent, I just send them the audit certificate or another document that says we passed.

 

All are always ok with that.

 

Tamale

[GMO]

Check the terms of the Costco audit to ensure that you actually have the right to share it.

 

In general, I do not release a full audit report unless I absolutely must.  Even so, it's usually a non-issue.  The people requesting them are often as busy as I am and don't have time to sit and read the report, but they have something to show their auditor.

 

Very, very good comment.  Many retailers will class the audit as belonging to them even if you pay for it.

[jkoratich712]

We always require a non-disclosure agreement prior to sending our audit report. For our suppliers, we require the audit report and corrective action report. I will read through the summary of the audit report and read through all findings and corrective actions prior to making a decision on if we use that supplier as well as if/when we need to make a site visit. It's amazing some of the 'root causes' that I have seen used on these reports.

[SoCalLiving]

I don't have a problem sharing the audit report. I request audit reports from my suppliers too.

 

My audit scheme is an approved scheme that Costco accepts (GFSI), I didn't know Costco had their own audit schemes.  I handle produce.