12 replies to this topic

[sue.c]

Hi,

 

I would like a GAP analysis sheet which shows the whole issue 8 standard but changes from issue 7 highlighted. I had one for issue 7 showing changes from 6  in excel format which was really good. Can anyone help with this please?

 

Ta,

[pHruit]

I can't post a copy here as it's a paid-for document from BRC under their copyright (they don't publish a free public version like they do for the standard itself).
You can get it from the BRC bookshop here: https://www.brcbooks...nges/c-24/p-454

If you're already certified and on Participate then you can access it there for free.

[Simon]

Maybe our webinar this Friday can help you.

 

Implementing a BRC Issue 8 Compliant Food Safety Management System

 

Based on over 25 years of working with BRC requirements, this webinar will provide guidance to current BRC requirements and how to develop a food safety and quality management system compliant with BRC standards. The webinar will be useful to organisations wishing to comply with the BRC Global Standard for Food Manufacturers. There will be practical examples demonstrated and a question and answer session to discuss any difficulties that you may have with complying with the requirements of the standard.

 

Register here:

https://events.gennd...7171/d086ed3c48

[Charles.C]

There are a lot of textually sizeable moves/changes/insertions.

 

The Gap Analysis is going to be substantial.

[louimay]

https://www.brcparti...-to-8---english

 

You will need to sign up to BRC participate to access.  Free to register if you are already certified

[Charles.C]

https://www.brcparti...-to-8---english

 

You will need to sign up to BRC participate to access.  Free to register if you are already certified

 

I deduce that free "registration" does not give you free "access" ?

[louimay]

I deduce that free "registration" does not give you free "access" ?

We are certified and I signed up to BRC participate using our certification details.  No money changed hands :-) It took a day for them to approve it.  But once in all the guides, documents, standards are free to access.

 

Finding the Fresh Produce guidelines in there has been a godsend for us. We are an apple packhouse and being audited next week.

[Charles.C]

We are certified and I signed up to BRC participate using our certification details.  No money changed hands :-) It took a day for them to approve it.  But once in all the guides, documents, standards are free to access.

 

Finding the Fresh Produce guidelines in there has been a godsend for us. We are an apple packhouse and being audited next week.

 

Including the set of Interpretation Guidelines ?

[pHruit]

Including the set of Interpretation Guidelines ?

Yes, Participate gives access to download the interpretation guidelines.
It's not really "free" as they've changed the fee structure for BRC certification - rather than buying the documents from the BRC Bookshop, certified sites now pay more for the BRC license fee component of the certification process than in previous years, get "free" access (including standards to which the site isn't certified - we can see e.g. Storage & Distribution etc) to the information via the Participate website.

[Charles.C]

Yes, Participate gives access to download the interpretation guidelines.
It's not really "free" as they've changed the fee structure for BRC certification - rather than buying the documents from the BRC Bookshop, certified sites now pay more for the BRC license fee component of the certification process than in previous years, get "free" access (including standards to which the site isn't certified - we can see e.g. Storage & Distribution etc) to the information via the Participate website.

 

Hi pHruit,

 

Thanks. So free but not free.

 

Presumably sales figures for the IG were below expectations. Enter Force Majeure.

 

Logically, IIRC, there should presumably have been an increase of at least 100GBP. Somehow I doubt it ?

[pHruit]

I'd interpreted it more as being a result of a lower-than-hoped uptake of their previous subscription system - an optional annual fee to have access to effectively the same range of documents as the Participate system.
We tried it the first year it came out, obtained copies of all of the documents we needed, and then wondered why we'd want to continue to pay for a voluntary subscription that didn't seem to give us a great deal of value.

They've changed the fee structure around it so it's not easy to make a direct comparison - we now pay our CB for the audit, the usual auditor expenses, a BRC "royalty fee", a BRC "report writing" fee and a BRC "project management" fee - but I'm pretty sure the overall cost has gone up by more than £100 per year!

[Charles.C]

I'd interpreted it more as being a result of a lower-than-hoped uptake of their previous subscription system - an optional annual fee to have access to effectively the same range of documents as the Participate system.
We tried it the first year it came out, obtained copies of all of the documents we needed, and then wondered why we'd want to continue to pay for a voluntary subscription that didn't seem to give us a great deal of value.

They've changed the fee structure around it so it's not easy to make a direct comparison - we now pay our CB for the audit, the usual auditor expenses, a BRC "royalty fee", a BRC "report writing" fee and a BRC "project management" fee - but I'm pretty sure the overall cost has gone up by more than £100 per year!

 

Hi pHruit,

 

Thks again. Sounds like a Holiday package, with/without etc.

 

The cost of IG does seem to have "appreciated" but remains a valuable compilation IMO.

[pHruit]

Yes, I fully agree Charles - indeed sometimes one wonders if there should be an interpretation guide for the interpretation guide

I'm sure there were more cases of sites breaking the rules and sharing the paid-for PDF files with each other under the old system, and there are benefits to the new scheme, but this does feel a little bit more like it's about monetizing an asset than helping food businesses (as does much of the new BRC Professional scheme, but that's a rant for another day) - the invoice may now have a greater range of services listed, but they're all mandatory, and the overall like-for-like cost has increased.

Most of our customer base is in the UK so there is a benefit for us to continue specifically with BRC, but if it starts to feel too much like a mechanism to drive bigger returns for shareholders then I can imagine many sites may be looking more closely at the GFSI-benchmarked alternatives...