Unannounced SQF Audit
Hi All - I have seen answers here and elsewhere that are conflicting so wanted to check with everyone.
For unannounced SQF audits, is the first unannounced audit actually the 4th audit as I have been told by the auditing body?
Everybody says 1 in 3, which would be true if you count the initial audit differently than the subsequent re-audit.
Thank you in advance.
cause i dont know know everybody is
Go and look this up in your SQF code books.
from the code
11.4 Unannounced Audits
The certification body is required to conduct an unannounced audit of your site once every three years. Your first three-year cycle commences with your initial certification audit date. Within the first three years of certification, you are required to have one unannounced audit. Thereafter, you will have an unannounced audit every three years.
BTW- Glenn is correct, all the answers are either in the code, or on the website
Notice the use of the word "with" that means your initial audit is included in the 1 in 3 rule
In addition to what was stated above, when your certification body contacts you to schedule your audit for the year they will tell you its unannounced and the guideline dates the audit will take place within. The audit has to take place within a certain amount of days (i cant remember but it's something like 30? i think) before or after last years audit date.
**at least ours did... maybe this isn't guaranteed based on your CB?...
Thank you for all your feedback - my audit body has confirmed that my now 3rd audit with also be announced and the 4th audit for the facility will be the unannounced.
I appreciate the help and I understand this post feels annoying to some but you can see now why the question would be posed. There is conflicting information from a variety of sources.
Thank you all.
Hello NutANDFruitFood Safety:
I was also confused by how this is stated in the code.
We were certified Nov. 2018, and will be having our first unannounced audit this year.
So yes, it is within 3 years - but this will be our 4th audit.
Also, we have to contact our CB every year to schedule our audit - they have not contacted us.
Take Care,
Thank you for the reply. I appreciate your understanding and explanation. I of course have looked at the code and tried to determine based off of what others have told me what the correct answer is. This is very helpful.
Thank you again.
Hello NutANDFruitFood Safety:
I was also confused by how this is stated in the code.
We were certified Nov. 2018, and will be having our first unannounced audit this year.
So yes, it is within 3 years - but this will be our 4th audit.
Also, we have to contact our CB every year to schedule our audit - they have not contacted us.
Take Care,
I questioned this also this year and this was the clearly laid out answer I was given.
Since your certification year was in 2019, the cycle looks like this:
- Registration year 2019 (does not count toward 3 year unannounced cycle)
- Reassessment 1 2020 (announced)
- Reassessment 2 2021 (announced)
- Reassessment 3 2022 (unannounced)