I think this will be difficult for some...
I know it will be a challenge for us being a smaller facility to schedule production and people around a yearly unannounced audit - I personally think that this requirement should be based on audit history and risk and that 1 in 3 unannounced audits is sufficient.
This was sent from my CB this week..
Costco has updated their expectation manual to include a mandatory unannounced audit for their supplier's with GFSI audits effective April 1st, 2023. The unannounced audits will follow each GFSI Scheme's requirements.
Additionally, as outlined in the standard, Costco will no longer have its own addendum, but will integrate their program into the various GFSI Standards.
***Costco has indicated that Costco product does not need to be in production during an unannounced GFSI audit, however records will be reviewed, and Costco item categories cannot be excluded from the audit scope.
Also...
Costco may, at times, shadow a supplier’s 3rd party audit.
A member of the Costco Food Safety staff will accompany the auditor for the entire duration of the audit. During the audit, the Costco employee will examine all documentation reviewed by the auditor and will also walk the entire operation during the inspection (interior and exterior). Observations made by the Costco employee will be disclosed after the auditor is finished with the closing meeting. Costco observations do not impact audit scoring.
To ensure that Costco’s observations are addressed, operations must provide Costco with an e-mailed corrective action response for each observation.
