Excellent curveball

SQF Code, edition 8 is applicable to all certification and surveillance audits conducted after January 2, 2018. Those sites with an existing SQF certification will be required to upgrade their Systems to meet the requirements outlined in edition 8 by that date.

 

Well isn't that something. Surprised this is the first we have heard.

It sure is a nice long roll out. Which means in process developments and new development under 7.2 can continue for a while longer as long as they get their audits this year. It was a nice gift.

I really thought it was going to be a lot faster. Like summertime.

Hi,

 

Need some clarification regarding the January 2, 2018 date.

 

We are in a certification process (audit scheduled for July 2017). Does it mean we'll need to have our surveillance audit move somewhere before January 2 with all the changes required by edition 8?

 

Thanks!

Cristian

All audits after the January 2, 2018 will be held to the Edition 8.

I know Wally.

 

Question is: Will our surveillance audit have to be moved before the usual 12 month period to meet the January 2 date?

 

Thanks!

Cris

I thought it was going to be 2018, I remembered reading it somewhere but my auditor disagreed during our Recert audit last month and thought we would be held to it next year. Glad to see I was correct! No reason they can't release the finished code and provide a year for audits under 7.2 to be conducted, and give suppliers a chance to start upgrading and get feedback during a 7.2 audit on whether their changes will be sufficient under the new code before it counts.

Sorry superchris23, forgot to answer your query and don't think IFSQN lets you edit posts?

 

I wouldn't expect your next audit date to change. They're not going to reschedule everyone's audits just to capture those on the margins, the CB's have a schedule and can't just recombine everyone to just before or after the compliance date for convenience. Audits will be conducted at their normal scheduled intervals, and if yours falls before the date you'll be held to 7.2, and if after 8.0.

 

You'll have an audit somewhere around July 2017 under 7.2, and an audit around July 2018 where you'll be held to 8.0. Your schedule should not change.

Well, my recert window on my unannounced ends Jan 6, 2018.  I could gamble I'll still be under 7.2 and give myself an extra year ;-)

Schedule for January 1st 2018. Genius!

I know Wally.

 

Question is: Will our surveillance audit have to be moved before the usual 12 month period to meet the January 2 date?

 

Thanks!

Cris

 

Audit dates don't get moved unless there is written request by the CB to SQF and SQF approves of it.  This rarely happens...your audit date (plus or minus 30 days) is the date your are stuck with unless you can get it moved.

 

In my previous facility our original audit date was 12/12 and had it moved up 30 days because management would typically take their vacations in December as it was a slower time for us.  It wasn't an easy process to get the audit date moved, even though it was a shorter time period after moving.