Today BRCGS launches version 9 of the Global Standard Food Safety .
Originally developed and published in 1998, the standard has since developed and evolved to become the leading global food safety program with over 22,000 certified sites in over 130 countries.
The standard provides a framework for food manufacturers to assist them in producing safe, authentic and legal food and to manage quality to meet customer needs. Certification against the standard is already globally recognized by many different types of stakeholders in the food industry, including retailers and specifiers, and as the leading consumer protection organization (CPO), BRCGS works hard to demonstrate the value of this certification to the global supply chain, including the end consumer.
Additionally, independent research, conducted by the University of Birkbeck, demonstrates that organizations that operate to BRCGS standards improve food safety, operational efficiency, commercial growth, improved profitability and innovation at scale. Additionally, an independent study by the respected Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) concluded that BRCGS certified sites reported fewer regulatory non-compliance than both non-certified organizations and those operating other certification programs and reiterates the benefits of a robust certification scheme like BRCGS.
The requirements in the final release launched today represent an evolution from previous issues and are, among other things, based on requirements for product safety culture and core competencies.
The standard has been updated at regular intervals to reflect the latest thinking in food safety and to encourage worldwide adoption of the standard. The review process ensures that those using the Standard continue to see value with each evolution. Richa Bedi-Navik, Senior Global Standards Manager at BRCGS, said: "The Food Safety Standard facilitates a continuous improvement process through well-designed, risk-based product safety management. It is important that the Standard is periodically reviewed and updated due to the ever-changing nature of the industry."
The new version and supporting guidelines are available for sites certified through BRCGS Join . Otherwise, a copy of the publications can be purchased through the BRCGS Store .
Version 9 Transitional Timeline
Certification against version 9 of the standard will start in audits from 1 February 2023.
