SGS serves up new food standard
The first global standard for auditing and certificating agents and brokers in the food supply chain is about to be awarded by SGS to a UK based company after more than 18 months of development work with the British Retail Consortium (BRC).
David Brackston, technical director BRC Global Standards, says, “The new BRC Agents and Brokers Standard provides an opportunity for companies to demonstrate their ability to take responsibility for ensuring traceability, transparency and effective management of food safety in their activities and provide confidence to their customers. We congratulate Mardon plc on adopting the standard and their hard work and commitment to gain certification so quickly.”
SGS UK will be the first certification body to award the Global Standard for Agents and Brokers on behalf of the BRC to a British company. The BRC Global Standard is one of five standards for companies in the food supply chain and was launched in March 2014. Following the horsemeat scandal in the UK, the BRC identified the weak link in the supply chain as the lack of traceability back to source for food products. Working with retailers and certification bodies, the standard was written to ensure full transparency throughout the food industry supply chain.
Jeremy Chamberlain, SGS Retail Product Specialist, says, “Agents and brokers play an essential role in the food supply chain. Their work has a critical effect on the ability to trace where food comes from and how it is handled. This BRC Global Standard for Agents and Brokers will help them expand the reach of their business and demonstrate the high standards they maintain. It will ensure the traceability of the food source and prevent the recent scandals that damaged the reputation of the UK food supply chain.
We are the largest certificating body for BRC globally and this latest audit recognizes the higher standards the food supply chain needs to achieve. Certification is an important process to reassure consumers that every step of the supply chain is controlled and credible. SGS UK has been working with food supply chains to deliver the best in performance at every level.”
SGS UK will be working with agents and brokers over the coming year to audit and certificate them for the BRC Global Standard that will demonstrate to the consumer their controls over this critical part of the supply chain.