3.5.1.3 High Risk Suppliers - Agents and Brokers

Hi

3.5.1.3 comes into force fully on 1st July 2016. i am interested to hear if anyone has had difficulty on obtaining the necessary information over the past year?

Also has anyone had difficulty in auditing any agents and brokers that they use that are not GFSI recognized? with them refusing or putting up barriers when suggesting that now they are classed as high risk.

Murae

Treat them gently. Most of the agents/brokers we deal with are 1-2 person companies and can be very responsive. They'll never go for BRC though. The bigger ones are the ones that cause problems; I unapproved one last week that was delaying sending information until we'd committed to the purchase, and had a similar problem with one who was IFS Broker. Unless I know what due diligence they have carried out, I won't allow a purchase (if I know of course).

I don't think any of our agents/brokers are BRC A&B certified, just us.

Have you been to audit all your agents & brokers? do you have any overseas?

Our suppliers are all over the world from New Zealand, US, Canada through to the far east. My boss has visited about 95% of them, but they are continually changing with new ones being added and others being dropped off the list. Both commercial and quality reasons.