5 replies to this topic

[g.mascolo1983]

Good morning all,

 

I'm a QA technician for an italian factory. Now i'm working for re-doing our procedure for supplier approval.

 

at the moment i'm concentating on the criteria (i have followed BRC 8.0) that we want to use to qualifying a supplier. I think that the criteria is: a supplier can ensure me the safety and legality of the product(s) supplied?

 

So I thought that a supplier that have a GFSI certification have the minimum requisites for approval, and i've built the flow chart attached.

 

Do you think that it can be accepted without any challenge/dispute by a GFSI auditor?

 

 

Attached Files

•  Raw Material.pptx   40.82KB   157 downloads

[pHruit]

I'd add traceability to the questionnaire every three years for the low risk non-GFSI suppliers, as you're obliged to by the standard.

For the high risk ones, I'd suggest audit performed "according to risk assessment and at least every three years", as your initial audit and/or on-going monitoring may identify suppliers whom you'd need to visit more frequently.

[g.mascolo1983]

Hi pHruit,

 

thank you for your consideration. I have appreciated and I'll do exactly what you have suggested.

 

But maybe i'm not well explained myself....my doubt is: a GFSI auditor can accept the criteria:  GFSI certification --> automatically approved. Or we should ask to a GFSI certified supplier some additional documentation for a better "general vision" of the supplier?

 

From my point of view: no...a GFSI certification should give us a good grade of sureness that the supply is safety. (otherwise i cannot reach to find a reason to GFSI certification)

 

From the point of view of auditors? 

[Charles.C]

Hi pHruit,

 

thank you for your consideration. I have appreciated and I'll do exactly what you have suggested.

 

But maybe i'm not well explained myself....my doubt is: a GFSI auditor can accept the criteria:  GFSI certification --> automatically approved. Or we should ask to a GFSI certified supplier some additional documentation for a better "general vision" of the supplier?

 

From my point of view: no...a GFSI certification should give us a good grade of sureness that the supply is safety. (otherwise i cannot reach to find a reason to GFSI certification)

 

From the point of view of auditors? 

 

Hi g.mascolo,

 

IIRC the BRC7 standard directly answers yr query as Yes.

[pHruit]

I agree with Charles, but I set up our system to ask for more because (a) it helps you get a better picture of the supplier and (b) whilst GFSI may be enough to satisfy clause 3.5.1.2, you're almost certainly going to need more information to risk-assess the raw materials as per 3.5.1.1.

 

Alas it is also the case that GFSI doesn't always correlate with a good standard of general operation...

[g.mascolo1983]

I agree with Charles, but I set up our system to ask for more because (a) it helps you get a better picture of the supplier and (b) whilst GFSI may be enough to satisfy clause 3.5.1.2, you're almost certainly going to need more information to risk-assess the raw materials as per 3.5.1.1.

 

Alas it is also the case that GFSI doesn't always correlate with a good standard of general operation...

 

Thanks to all for your help.

 

Regarding the Raw Material Risk Assessment i thought to manage the question considering only the intrinsic risk of the single ingredient independently from the system of the supplier.

 

Schematically I think in this way (searching to simplify the job):

- Supplier is enough safe? YES --> I can buy from him;  NO --> I cannot buy from him

 

- What is the risk of a determinate Raw Material --> It depend only from the single raw material (e.g. dried pulses can have allergens and foreign body problems - oregano can have pesticide and vulnerability problems - ecc.) --> So I require risk mitigation measures based on the single raw material. (e.g. I can ask allergen analysis to a dried pulses supplier on every batch that I buy, or the supplier have to convince me that It have the risk under control with some documentation or other). 

 

Otherwise I don't see any other chance to auditing every supplier and assign subsequently the grade of risk of every single supply.

 

I would be grateful for every consideration/correction

 

Regards