Outsourcing <-> Clients

Hi all!

We're IFS Food certified, on our certificate it is mentioned that we have partly outsourced processes. 

All these partly outsourced processes are under control (in compliance with the IFS Food standard).

But now for the specific products that are partly outsourced:

1)On the technical data sheet of these products: should we mention also that they are partly outsourced?

2)In other words, should the client be specifically informed (e.g. through the technical data sheet) that they are buying a product of our company that underwent partly outsourced processes.

In the IFS Food guide I found this: 4.4.6 ....When required by the customer, there shall be evidence that he has been informed and has agreed to such outsourced process.

3)Is it correct that, if the client doesn't mention anything about outsourced processes in the mutual agreement, we don't have to inform the client?

Thank you!

Hi JensV,

I agree the IFS Food standard is a bit ambiguous but defendable if you have a contract that doesn't cover the possibility of you outsourcing. That would be a bit lapse by the customer, as it is declared on your certificate, your customers should really be asking the question.

You should be declaring this information on any technical documents related to the product including specifications.

So, you don’t need to tell the customer specifically but my questions would be: Is this product your own brand? a customer’s brand? a product you specifically make for the customer?

Clearly if it is a customer’s brand or a product you specifically make for the customer then I think you should be informing them regardless of what is written in the standard.

Kind regards,

Tony