Do I need to provide customers with supplier food safety certificates?

Good day,

 

My company is FSSC 22000 and we do the storage and distribution of frozen meat. 

 

Our customers are asking for the food safety certificates from our suppliers? Do I have to supply them with this or with my FSSC 22000 certificate be sufficient?

 

Please advise. 

Hi Rosanna,

 

I imagine by "food safety certificate" the customer will be after your accreditation certificate yes. If this isn't the case I'm sure they will reply with specifics.

Thank you for your reply. No, the customer has requested the accreditation certification from the manufacturer. We are only distributors have an approved supplier programme. Do we still have to send the customer the accreditation certificates from our suppliers?

It's probably part of their Approved Suppliers program. They should list what exactly they need from you when it comes to that. I would assume they do need it from the manufacturer of that specific product since you only distribute which you should already have since they are your suppliers too. 

Correct, I have the certificates on hand, however, is it regulatory for me to send this to them. Being FSSC 22000 approved ensures that we have an approved supplier list. 

Of course, another intention may be to effect a "shortcut". Has been known.

 

I doubt there is a mandatory necessity. But maybe yr customer has Leverage on you ?

It may come down to your commercial agreement with your customer. I know some customers will ask for more than they specifically require. Understandably distributors won't necessarily want to share manufacturer information for the reason Charles mentioned. I would go back to the customer and assess whether you can persuade them to be satisfied with your certification, or whether they are adamant on having the manufacturers certificate for their own requirement or desire in which case it may escalate to a position of deciding whether you'd rather pass on the certificate or refuse and potentially lose business, depending on their response.

I started out working for a distributor and tasked with retrieving information from suppliers i.e. BRC/FSSC/other certificates, HACCP, SAQ and the rest. Although for BRC we only needed certain information, I had to request everything as the leaders view was 'the more the better'. However if a supplier refused to share something as it wasn't a document we specifically needed to comply with out BRC supplier approval requirements, we wouldn't push it. Hopefully this is the same in your case, and your customer will understand the sensitivity and be satisfied with your accreditation. (Now working for a manufacturer I fully appreciate what an annoying strategy that would be to everyone else).

Thank you for all the responses. I will contact our customer to see if they will be happy with our accreditation. 

 

Thanks again Guys!

I'd tread this request carefully.

 

Your customer could be fishing for your sources in order to circumvent, go around you and buy direct.

 

I would respond that you have an Approved Supplier Program and send them a copy of that along with your certification and indicate that each of your suppliers has qualified under your ASP and give them a copy of your certification - you can add that your supplier sources are considered confidential and that would shut that down real fast.