BRCGS 3.5.3.1 - Risk Assessment of Service Suppliers

HELLO ,

I RECEIVED NONCONFORMITY RELATED TO THE FOLLOWING ISSUE AT BRC AUDIT

3.5.3.1 -approval and monitoring process for service supplier must based on risk based .how can ı do this ?

ı need your help urgently .

I"m not BRC, I'm FSSC 22k, but how do you do it currently?   We have a matrix you have to fill in for each supplier/ingredient that judges risk and steers your decision making on oprp's, etc...  See attached.

Edit:   I just noticed it says SERVICE supplier, lol.   My bad.   What service?   Because pest control will vary quite a bit from say a sanitation company, etc....

BRC for Packaging Materials (issue 6) - 3.10.1 Management of Suppliers of Services states that "The approval and monitoring process shall be risk based and take into consideration:

- Risk to the safety and quality of products

- Compliance with any specific legal requirements; and

- Potential risks to the security of the product (i.e. risks identified in the vulnerability and product defense assessments)"

Just need to document that these risks were evaluated and the supplier of the service meets your acceptance criteria

Perhaps clause 3.5.3.1 of the standard you reference lists similar criteria.........

There is a previous thread that includes an example scoring matrix for this: https://www.ifsqn.co...rvice-supplier/

There is also useful commentary included in the interpretation guide - very much worth purchasing a copy if you don't currently have one.

Based upon the above, a risk assessment is fairly simple to put together.

I think the real question is how to construct a decision tree to determine the level of control necessary if you assess your service supplier to be medium or high risk.

Marshall

Based upon the above, a risk assessment is fairly simple to put together.

I think the real question is how to construct a decision tree to determine the level of control necessary if you assess your service supplier to be medium or high risk.

 

Marshall

Yes, precisely.

Might note this thread is for Food, not Packaging.

As noted above the I.G. give plenty of tips but these are not auditable material, per se.

As I understand, audits are not mandatory.

As I understand, "risk-based" in BRC-land is open to any evaluation which involves relative "scoring".

An alternative option to a RA matrix might be that "Supplier Service Approval" be overall determined by the appropriate evidence of satisfactory implementation of various characteristics (eg see the Standard/IG) including the sensitivity of the objective.

Examples of Procedures for approval of  BRC, Ingredient/Packaging Suppliers multiply exist on this Forum. Such are not directly matched to Services but likely give useful Procedural structures.

Retrospective examples of a possible, risk-based, response to any frequency aspects of this Clause exist elsewhere on this Forum.