27 replies to this topic

[Marshenko]

What's the longest wait you've had for your audit certificate and/or report from a CB, and why?

 

We are at 4 months for our BRCGS certificate...

[acarver]

Not an audit, but 28 weeks for FDA inspection report. Because the inspector received a promotion and couldn't get to it. 

[kconf]

4 months is a long time. Are you following up with them? We got ours within a month of NC's submission. 

[Marshenko]

Oh yeah.  They are horrible at communicating back to us too - either ignoring calls/emails, or following up with "we should have that soon" and then nothing.

Actively looking for a different CB is going on while all this is going on.

[SQFconsultant]

Never more than 45 days in total, but then again I have always become the pain in their arse around the 4th week as SOP.

 

If you can't get action from the CB, file a complaint with compliance at BRC - that should kick them in their arse as well.

[G M]

4 months seems pretty absurd.  If the CB is taking significantly longer to provide a report and certificate than they allow you for corrective actions, something is wrong.  I would expect the agreement to spell out the timelines for both parties.

 

They typically give us 30/60/90 days to deal with NCs, and can turn around a primary report and secondary reviewer approval with a certificate in less than 30 days.  I'm not sure I've ever seen it take more than six weeks.

[Dorothy87]

 

 

2 months..

 

I was chasing certification body like crazy, our customers chased me.. they had issues with staff - poor resource management? shame ! 

 

 

[beautiophile]

3 months for the certificate sheets.

 

The report, status update on BRGCS Directory, and PDF files of certificate were on time, but the papers by courier came late for us to frame.

[Marshenko]

3 months for the certificate sheets.

 

The report, status update on BRGCS Directory, and PDF files of certificate were on time, but the papers by courier came late for us to frame.

 

Yeah...
It is all late.

I *did* get the audit report a week ago finally.

[jfrey123]

I know SQF CB's are supposed to have a decision within 45 days of the audit's end, and issue the certificate no later than 10 days after decision made.  Does BRC have similar language in the code?  If so, you can bet your whole holy booty I'd be filing a complaint against the CB.  They wouldn't let you slide on your due diligence, and they're bound by contract and code to do the same.

[Tony-C]

Hi Marshenko,

 

The latest should be 42 days. File a complaint with BRCGS. Details below.

 

2.6 Certification

After a review of the audit report and documentary evidence provided in relation to the non-conformities identified, a certification decision shall be made by the designated independent certification manager. Where a certificate is granted, this shall be issued by the certification body within 42 calendar days of the audit.

 

3 Technical governance of the Standard

3.7 Complaints

BRCGS has implemented a formal complaints process, which is available to organisations involved with the BRCGS Global Standards. Details of the BRCGS complaints process can be found on the BRCGS website.

 

Complaints can be reported confidentially on the Tell BRCGS reporting system:

BRCGS encourages feedback. Feedback enables BRCGS to strengthen our compliance activities ensuring integrity and high quality of the BRCGS Global Certification Programme. In complete confidence, if you witness any wrongdoing in a BRCGS certificated site or are unhappy with an auditor’s or Certification Body performance; have concerns about BRCGS Training or approved training provider, or see misleading use of the BRCGS name or logo, or have any grievance against BRCGS we want to know. Let us investigate and put it right.To enter your feedback click Go To Reporting.

 

Kind regards,

 

Tony

[Marshenko]

Hi Marshenko,

 

The latest should be 42 days. File a complaint with BRCGS. Details below.

 

2.6 Certification

After a review of the audit report and documentary evidence provided in relation to the non-conformities identified, a certification decision shall be made by the designated independent certification manager. Where a certificate is granted, this shall be issued by the certification body within 42 calendar days of the audit.

 

3 Technical governance of the Standard

3.7 Complaints

BRCGS has implemented a formal complaints process, which is available to organisations involved with the BRCGS Global Standards. Details of the BRCGS complaints process can be found on the BRCGS website.

 

Complaints can be reported confidentially on the Tell BRCGS reporting system:

BRCGS encourages feedback. Feedback enables BRCGS to strengthen our compliance activities ensuring integrity and high quality of the BRCGS Global Certification Programme. In complete confidence, if you witness any wrongdoing in a BRCGS certificated site or are unhappy with an auditor’s or Certification Body performance; have concerns about BRCGS Training or approved training provider, or see misleading use of the BRCGS name or logo, or have any grievance against BRCGS we want to know. Let us investigate and put it right.To enter your feedback click Go To Reporting.

 

Kind regards,

 

Tony

 

Now that I think about it - our auditor for our unannounced audit at our second facility in August talked about disputes an awful lot during our opening and closing meetings, and how it the CB preferred they be brought up with the CB first before going to BRCGS.  I can't imagine, looking back now, that that was coincidental.

[Marshenko]

Fun update: our auditor from May emailed me about something missing from their audit report.

[G M]

Fun update: our auditor from May emailed me about something missing from their audit report.

 

Sounds like you should request a corrective action plan from them. 

[Tony-C]

Fun update: our auditor from May emailed me about something missing from their audit report.

 

  You are going to make them wait 4 months for a reply, right? 

[Lohio1991]

We finished out audit this year first week of March and didn't receive our report and certificate until Mid July....The third party auditor didn't turn his notes in on time...it was on him. We didn't even have a bunch of issues...he just took so long.

[Dorothy87]

Sounds like you should request a corrective action plan from them. 

 

 

and the root cause analysis !!! 

[ChristinaK]

Fun update: our auditor from May emailed me about something missing from their audit report.

 

...wow. At this point, I would send another complaint to BRCGS about the auditor and CB. And definitely tell the CB you do not want to have this auditor at any of your sites again.

[Marshenko]

...wow. At this point, I would send another complaint to BRCGS about the auditor and CB. And definitely tell the CB you do not want to have this auditor at any of your sites again.

 

Update: We've been informed today (and keep in mind, our audit was completed in mid-May) that one of our minors was escalated to a MAJOR.

[beautiophile]

Update: We've been informed today (and keep in mind, our audit was completed in mid-May) that one of our minors was escalated to a MAJOR.

 

I overheard from a small talk between the (senior) auditor and the apprentice during my company's last audit about certain decline in auditor quality (my assumption). Mistakes appear more and some plagiarism has got detected in audit reports.

[ChristinaK]

Update: We've been informed today (and keep in mind, our audit was completed in mid-May) that one of our minors was escalated to a MAJOR.

 

What the heck. Are you able to see who raised it to a major? Was it the auditor, CB's technical reviewer, BRCGS?

 

Definitely file a formal complaint against the auditor and CB with BRCGS.

 

Are you planning to switch CB's prior to your next audit? If you stay with them, I suggest demanding they provide you with a CAPR and address why they've fumbled your audit so badly. Personally, I'd be switching CB's no matter what.

[Marshenko]

What the heck. Are you able to see who raised it to a major? Was it the auditor, CB's technical reviewer, BRCGS?

 

Definitely file a formal complaint against the auditor and CB with BRCGS.

 

Are you planning to switch CB's prior to your next audit? If you stay with them, I suggest demanding they provide you with a CAPR and address why they've fumbled your audit so badly. Personally, I'd be switching CB's no matter what.

 

Switching CBs - yes (probably schemes too - nuts to BRCGS)

Filing appeal of final score - yes; they just submitted to BRCGS directory, so I will do that this week

Filing complaint with BRCGS - yes; thankfully I keep immaculate notes and timelines, including when sending an email and getting a response via telephone

 

Worried - same CB is now late with my other facility's audit certificate and final report (we are at 60 days).

[Scampi]

 The certification body has until 42 days from the audit, to be able to close out the audit and upload it to the BRC portal.

 

I hope your taking this directly to BRCGS as well as your CB

[Marshenko]

 The certification body has until 42 days from the audit, to be able to close out the audit and upload it to the BRC portal.

 

I hope your taking this directly to BRCGS as well as your CB

Yep - I'm in our other facility and then traveling today, but tomorrow I'll be banging all of that out, with evidence, timelines, emails that weren't responded to, email requests for conference calls that were responded to with a personal cell call, email requests for updated information that were responded to with phone calls, Rev 3 and 4 of the audit report, all the good time fun stuff.  19 years in FSQA - I keep receipts!

 

Prepping to switch to SQF for 2025.

[ChristinaK]

Yep - I'm in our other facility and then traveling today, but tomorrow I'll be banging all of that out, with evidence, timelines, emails that weren't responded to, email requests for conference calls that were responded to with a personal cell call, email requests for updated information that were responded to with phone calls, Rev 3 and 4 of the audit report, all the good time fun stuff.  19 years in FSQA - I keep receipts!

 

Prepping to switch to SQF for 2025.

 

Oooooo. Responding to a written request via phone...that's such a shady practice. I remember being told at one of my first-ever jobs that if I was ever uncertain of something to always answer via phone or in-person and never via email, because then there isn't a record showing I provided incorrect information. So the CB definitely was trying to cover their ineptitude!

 

Good luck, and keep us updated on what happens.