9 replies to this topic

[Louisemoana]

We are a seasonal site and started up a week and a half ago. We are due an unannounced audit (our first unannounced).
Our re audit due date finishes on the 16th of March. Which is Wednesday next week. I was convinced this morning it would be today but nope.. Nothing or should I say no one.

Tomorrow is Friday so assuming they won't come. When do we start making phone calls?

New version. Unannounced. And late. Not good for the stress levels!

[Tony-C]

Hi Louisemoana,

 

 

Welcome to the IFSQN forums.

 

It appears that if it is your 1^st unannounced and you are seasonal then it could be up to 6 weeks after 16^th March. I have underlined the relevant parts of the BRCGS Global Standard for Food Safety Issue 9 below.

 

4 Unannounced Audit Protocol

 

The date of the audit shall not be notified to the site in advance of the audit. The audit will be unannounced and replace the normal scheduled audit. It can occur at any stage within the last 4 months of the audit cycle, including the 28 calendar days before the audit due date (i.e. at any point from 4 months before the audit due date).

 

4.7.2 Seasonal production sites

 

The audit due dates for some sites producing seasonal products may occur towards the beginning of the product’s season and this could limit the dates available to carry out unannounced audits before the end of the re-audit window. Therefore, in the first year that the site is within the unannounced programme, the audit window will be extended to allow the unannounced audit to be carried out up to 6 weeks after the audit due date. There will be no penalty for late audits.

 

Good luck with the audit.

 

Kind regards,

 

Tony

[Louisemoana]

OK. Even if this is just the mandatory one in three audits and we are not in the complete unannounced programme? Our certificate expires 28th of April.

[Louisemoana]

Found the answer myself in the position statement. Yes audit can be after audit due date and there will be no penalty. However it does say that site might be uncertified for a period whilst certificate is being issued.

[Louisemoana]

Well we have just finished day 1 of our unannounced BRC audit. 😳

So my thread is answered. Day 2 tomorrow. Its going OK. The unannounced stress is over so now just dealing with the audit. The auditor is efficient & fair and my team are awesome. I have however aged 10 years 🤣

[Hoosiersmoker]

So, how did you do? 99% or 100%?

[Louisemoana]

3 small n.c's. Very happy with our result. 😊

[Hoosiersmoker]

3 small n.c's. Very happy with our result.

Great job! Awesome score! Now you can have more confidence in all of your work and your next unannounced audit will be much easier!

[MDaleDDF]

Nice work!  

I would that I could agree with Hoosiersmoker, but in my experience the auditor is everything.  I've had one auditor who says you have to do A and B, and the next year a different auditor says no no no, you can't do that, change it back.   Lol.   One of my biggest frustrations with these systems is how they are open to interpretation by the auditor, and in certain circumstances there's no right answer, only an auditors opinion.

But anyway, well done.

[Setanta]

Well done!