There may be a possibility that cross-docking is to be implemented within a business which operates a group of sites. Each site is individually accredited to the BRCGS S&D standard.
An opportunity has arose where cross-docking may be required for a temporary time frame.
My understanding is that Location A will ship orders pre-picked and palletised, and send these on an articulated vehicle to Location B. At Location B, they will take the pallets from the articulated vehicle, and transfer them to the warehouse loading area, where they are put onto smaller vehicles for delivery to customers.
In relation to this, I have a few questions:
- Who is the main accredited site according to the standard? Is this Location A that is shipping to Location B, or is this irrelevant as it switches Location?
- If the process of cross-docking is for a temporary period of time, will it be required to get an update to the certificate and audit by having the audit body back out?
- Example, Location B has recently passed a BRCGS Audit without Section 11 on there. Cross-Docking is not for external customers. Would Location B be OK to run with their current certificate even if this process became long-standing?
- If Location A is only shipping product out to Location B, will they need to have Section 11 added to their audit if they are not doing the actual process?
- The standard clearly states that Location A maintains responsibility for the product up to the point of delivery, so it would seem that Section 11 should be on their audit as they have the responsibility and would require the policies and procedures, test results and traces - but the statement about main certified sites confuses me.
As this will be taking place in a business which is grouped, the vast majority of documents will be centrally created and controlled, and made so that it can be implemented business wide, if needed. But there is still some confusion on this.
