Supplier approval program according to SQF edition 9

Hello, I am working on the supplier approval prog according to SQF edition 9. I need help with the Selection of suppliers protocol. Is generally the Purchasing who selects it. How should we go about it? What should be the process for non-Approved suppliers? What do you mean by spec requirements for corporate ownership. Also, are supplier Audits Mandatory? 

Hello,

 

I am working on the supplier approval prog according to SQF edition 9. I need help with the Selection of suppliers protocol. Is is  generally the Purchasing who selects it. How should we go about it? What should be the process for non-Approved suppliers? What do you mean by spec requirements for corporate ownership. Also, are supplier Audits Mandatory? 

What code(s) are you using.  im guessing it is food manufacturing.  

it is ok for purchasing to oversee the program   However there has to be a method in how they do this.   it needs to be based on risk.   For instance you might not need or want to require a supplier of salt to have a more stringent approval requirement then say a supplier of meat or dairy.   

for instance a higher risk product / supplier might require a GFSI audit.  a lower risk product / supplier might just need to complete a questionnaire.  SQF is nice as it is provides a little  leeway as to how you go about approving suppliers.   

you can use non-approved suppliers in an emergency.   you would wan to state in your procedure what has to be done prior to their use (inspection, testing, etc.)

2.3.4.4   The receipt of raw materials, ingredients, processing aids, and packaging from nonapproved suppliers shall be acceptable only in an emergency situation and provided a receiving inspection or analysis is conducted and recorded before use.

supplier audits would not neccesasaly need to be done according to the clause  below .   however if the risk is high you might require a food safety audit done by a third party be provided or one done by your company.  

2.3.4.6   Supplier audits shall be based on risk (as determined in 2.3.4.2) and shall be conducted by individuals knowledgeable of applicable regulatory and food safety requirements and trained in auditing techniques.

Don't forget about routine monitoring & review of suppliers.  

2.3.4.2

Methods and frequency of monitoring approved suppliers; 

&

Methods and frequency of reviewing approved supplier performance and status.

What Clause does this refer to? "What do you mean by spec requirements for corporate ownership"'  I could not seem to figure out what you were referring to.   

when creating a program accoring to the SQFI standard (or any other standard), I try to to make sure I have read each clause thoroughly and ask myself how can I / will I prove to someone (auditor) that we meet the standard.  

I'm getting the vibe that your are new to creating supplier approval programs.   Please let me know if you need more help as it is pretty important.   

"What do you mean by spec requirements for corporate ownership"' 

From SQF Ed. 9 Food Manufacturing:

2.3.2.3 All raw materials, packaging, and ingredients, including those received from other sites under the same corporate ownership, shall comply with specifications and with the relevant legislation in the country of manufacture and country(ies) of destination if known.

2.3.4.5 Raw materials, ingredients, and packaging received from other sites under the same corporate ownership shall be subject to the same specification requirements (refer to 2.3.2), approved supplier requirements, and receiving inspections as all other material providers.

My interpretation is if whoever owns the facility named in your SQF scope owns other companies/facilities that you purchase/receive raw materials, ingredients, etc. from, they must also be included in the approved supplier program and treated the same way other suppliers are treated.  i.e. approval process, performance review, receiving inspections.

example: "Bob's Foods" processes/packages vegetables.  "Bob's Foods" purchases vegetables (raw materials/ingredients) from several suppliers, including Bob's Farms" which is owned by the same people as "Bob's Foods."  Bob's Farms must be treated the same as other suppliers; ie. go through the same approval process as other suppliers, be included on your record of approved suppliers, etc.  Items purchased from Bob's Farms must have the same receiving receiving inspections, performance reviews, etc. as other suppliers.

"What do you mean by spec requirements for corporate ownership"' 

 

From SQF Ed. 9 Food Manufacturing:

2.3.2.3 All raw materials, packaging, and ingredients, including those received from other sites under the same corporate ownership, shall comply with specifications and with the relevant legislation in the country of manufacture and country(ies) of destination if known.

2.3.4.5 Raw materials, ingredients, and packaging received from other sites under the same corporate ownership shall be subject to the same specification requirements (refer to 2.3.2), approved supplier requirements, and receiving inspections as all other material providers.

 

My interpretation is if whoever owns the facility named in your SQF scope owns other companies/facilities that you purchase/receive raw materials, ingredients, etc. from, they must also be included in the approved supplier program and treated the same way other suppliers are treated.  i.e. approval process, performance review, receiving inspections.

 

example: "Bob's Foods" processes/packages vegetables.  "Bob's Foods" purchases vegetables (raw materials/ingredients) from several suppliers, including Bob's Farms" which is owned by the same people as "Bob's Foods."  Bob's Farms must be treated the same as other suppliers; ie. go through the same approval process as other suppliers, be included on your record of approved suppliers, etc.  Items purchased from Bob's Farms must have the same receiving receiving inspections, performance reviews, etc. as other suppliers.

Im not sure why my word search didn't find that, it seems pretty obvious now as to what you were referring to.

yes, your interpretation is correct.   You would need to apply the same procedures for these sections to  "sister" plants as you would any other supplier.  

Hello,

 

I am working on the supplier approval prog according to SQF edition 9. I need help with the Selection of suppliers protocol. Is is  generally the Purchasing who selects it. How should we go about it? What should be the process for non-Approved suppliers? What do you mean by spec requirements for corporate ownership. Also, are supplier Audits Mandatory? 

Are you a FDA or USDA inspected plant. If under FSMA - then what you have in place should be sufficient for approved suppliers. As for who selects it. For us it is a group effort between purchasing and (R&D) Research & Development.