10 replies to this topic

[RhiannonVK]

Hello! We have our first SQF audit booked for end of November this year. We have had a pre-assessment and have done well, so we hope the audit will go well. 

 

I am concerned about the date of the audit. We want to get our certification as soon as possible so we booked the Nov. date for this year, however the fall is a VERY busy time of year for us, and I am pretty worried about having our audit every year at this time, and having an unannounced audit every 3 years, also during our busiest time.

 

If we go ahead with this audit date, how hard is it to switch the audit due date for following years? Possibly we would like to move it sooner, maybe even in August for 2024. I asked our CB and they said it can be done but you need to apply to SQFI and provide reason to them for the switch.

 

Has anyone successfully done this? Does anyone know how difficult it is to do this? If we cite production schedules, trade shows and etc, would SQFI grant this request?

 

Thank you!

[SQFconsultant]

Since this would be your first audit you can just go ahead and request the change.

 

Not sure why the cb said it had to go thru sqfi, unless your pre assessment was your desk audit and what you call your first audit is the certification audit- thus you would to contact SQFI.

 

If the above is the case you could also go with the option of a complete redo on the desk audit and then your on-site audit.

 

Personally that is what I would do.

[RhiannonVK]

Since this would be your first audit you can just go ahead and request the change.

 

Not sure why the cb said it had to go thru sqfi, unless your pre assessment was your desk audit and what you call your first audit is the certification audit- thus you would to contact SQFI.

 

If the above is the case you could also go with the option of a complete redo on the desk audit and then your on-site audit.

 

Personally that is what I would do.

 

This would be our first audit. We want to continue with the November date for 2023, but would like to move the re-cert date for 2024 (so we are not always having our audit in the fall). So we would be doing our re-certification audit outside the 30 day window from anniversary date. So I assume that's why we would have to request it through SQFI. 

[SQFconsultant]

You just said this would be your first audit but then used the term recert - recert means to me the second time around and not the first.

 

In any event I don't suggest a gap of too long between your desk audit and the on site certification audit.

 

Especially if updates occur along the way.

 

Better to pick a gap of like 40-90 days between the two and plan from there. 

Edited by SQFconsultant, 10 October 2023 - 06:54 PM.

[RhiannonVK]

You just said this would be your first audit but then used the term recert - recert means to me the second time around and not the first.

 

In any event I don't suggest a gap of too long between your desk audit and the on site certification audit.

 

Especially if updates occur along the way.

 

Better to pick a gap of like 40-90 days between the two and plan from there. 

 

Yes our first audit in November, but we are thinking for the future, for next year (which would be our second audit and therefore a re-cert) trying to see if it is possible to adjust the time for the second audit if needed, sorry if it was not clear in my post. Basically my question was, if we do our initial audit Nov 2023, could we do our next audit Aug 2024 instead of Nov. 2024. Would we be permitted to do it early to fit better into our schedule? I was wondering if anyone had done this.

 

As for desk audit, I don't believe we are having one. We had what they called a "pre-assessment" in the spring in which they came here and gave us a full audit and audit report but it was not registered with SQFI and was basically a gap audit so we could see what we were missing. 

 

Our auditor is coming for 2 days at the end of November and there has been no mention of a separate desk audit. We are a pretty small facility in Canada. 

 

I hope this is clearer and thank you for your responses. 

[SQFconsultant]

Hmm.  You should still have two official "registered" audits. The first being an offsite but could be on site documentation audit and while the audit does not count towards a final score/grade there are corrective actions that would need to be addressed and closed out prior to the on site certification audit.

 

From what you clarified my suggestion is that you move your audit set so that your certification audit is in August of 2024 and your desk audit is 90 days prior in May. 

 

You could always try for black out dates for next year and they may accept that situation however your second year (if your first cert audit is this year) re cert audit could be an unannounced type and I think you'll find that it can get very mucky if you don't reset your dates and also determine if an offsite doc audit that would be "registered" is needed.

[Scotty_SQF]

I believe they did away with your first audit being split into two: a desk audit then a facility audit some time after.  I switched companies two years ago and helped get my current company SQF certified and our very first audit was one 2 day audit that was both desk and facility.  I was told they did away with the original scheme a couple of years ago to make the initial audit more like the recertification audits.

[acarver]

I believe they did away with your first audit being split into two: a desk audit then a facility audit some time after.  I switched companies two years ago and helped get my current company SQF certified and our very first audit was one 2 day audit that was both desk and facility.  I was told they did away with the original scheme a couple of years ago to make the initial audit more like the recertification audits.

Mine was the same way, two days in facility, with the first day being a review of documents. Once you have the first audit, you get a 60 day window around that date for the following years for your audit. My understanding is that it is a pain in the rear to get it changed...

[Mulan1010]

Our boss scheduled our audit during our busiest time of year and said it will be okay, we can change it for next year.  We told him the code says...  He would not listen to us.  We were audited  during our busiest time of the year for 10 audits. :)  until Covid and then it was delayed but Covid altered many things. However, you really need to talk to your Certification Body to see if you can change the date.  I believe the answer will be no, but you never know until you ask.

[PQAManager]

You need to have the 1st audit when you want, to set when the rest will be.  After that you can move about 30 days each time, but that would probably put you at getting audited after 11 months or 13 months to get moved each year to where you want it.

[Scampi]

All the answers you need are written into the code

 

Temporary or Permanent Change of Audit Dates Written approval by the SQF Compliance Manager is required to issue an extension to your site’s certificate or a temporary or permanent change to your site’s re-certification audit timeframe, including changes due to extraordinary events such as acts of nature or extreme weather. All change requests are required to be sent by the certification body that issued your site’s most recent SQF certificate. All requests regarding temporary or permanent certification changes for legitimate business reasons are to be submitted to SQFI by the certification body using the Change Request and Notification Form (available at sqfi.com). Using this online form enables SQFI to track and manage all incoming requests and respond in a timely manner.

 

 

https://www.sqfi.com...vrsn=7f70c75a_8