SCS Auditing Services – Food Safety Confidence
SCS has built its reputation by conducting the most thorough and rigorous food safety audits in the food industry. SCS has the most complete audit checklists, exceeds standards for time spent “in field,” and employs some of the best qualified auditors. With an SCS food safety audit, customers can be confident that they are receiving the highest level of food safety due diligence and commitment to risk reduction. It is for this reason that SCS audits are widely accepted by major buyers – retailers, distributors, and food service companies.
SCS offers three types of audits:
- On-Site Audits: GAP / GMP / HACCP / GlobalGap / TNC / BRC / SQF 1000, 2000 / FPA
- Self Audits: GAP / GMP / HACCP
- Desktop Audits (Verified Audit): GAP / GMP / HACCP
SCS maintains proprietary risk management protocols. Specific crops are evaluated based on the SCS Crop Risk Guide, by type and degree of risk, in order to identify control points that require monitoring, customize audit plans, and prioritize the order and frequency of audits.
For more information on SCS Food Safety Services, contact Heena Patel:
On-Site Audits
SCS conducts on-site audits for companies representing all sectors of the food industry. Its scored audits are widely accepted by major buyers who value the rigor with which SCS audits are conducted.
Suppliers with successful audits receive a listing in the searchable SCS Supplier Database where buyers have immediate access to supplier food safety audit history, certificates of achievement, and both label and commodity listings. In addition, suppliers have password protected access to their scored audit reports and can request free transmittal to prospective or current buyers.
- GAP and GMP Audits
- HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) Audits
- FPA Audits
- SQF Audits
- GlobalGAP Audits
- TNC Audits
- BRC Audits
In 1997, the U.S. FDA launched the National Food Safety Initiative, a set of science-based guidelines for reducing microbial food safety hazards in fresh produce. Today, these guidelines represent the norm for food safety procedures and practices. Growers, packers, distributors, processors, and cooling and cold storage operations must regularly demonstrate to buyers that they engage in agricultural and manufacturing practices that minimize food safety risk.
SCS conducts comprehensive GAP/GMP audits that focus on procedures and practices related to land usage and history, harvesting practices, environmental hazards, water quality, pest control, recall/traceability, employee health and hygiene, and other related Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOPs). In addition, SCS audits include a food security component upon request. Finally, SCS conducts independently verification of other third-party GAP/GMP audits as part of its Vendor Management program.
HACCP is a scientific process control system for identifying and preventing biological, chemical and physical hazards at critical points in the food production and distribution process. It is built on seven principles and pre-requisite programs (SSOP/SOP).
For companies operating under HACCP plans, SCS includes a HACCP Food Safety Management plan review in its GAP and GMP audits. In addition, SCS independently verifies other third-party HACCP programs as part of its Vendor Management program. Companies that want to demonstrate and communicate the highest commitment to food safety may seek CertiClean™ certification and Food Safety Verification Testing for their fields and facility operations. Finally, companies interested in establishing a comprehensive HACCP-based Food Safety Management Plan can turn to SCS for expert guidance.
SCS is an approved third-party auditor for the Food Processors Association’s FPA-SAFE program. FPA food safety audits target food processors and suppliers of food ingredients.
SCS is an approved third-party auditor for the Food Marketing Institute’s Safe Quality Food (SQF) program. This HACCP-based audit program is focused on suppliers.
Increasingly, retailers are requiring GlobalGAP audits of suppliers. Through a service partnership with CMi, an international certification body accredited by the United Kingdom accreditation services, SCS offers GlobalGAP audits. GlobalGAP is an agricultural production standard that addresses site history, irrigation, harvest and post harvest operations, fertilizer usage, recycling and reuse, waste management, and management practices.
Suppliers of produce to Tesco in the UK must comply with the Tesco Nature’s Choice (TNC) scheme— a set of safety, quality and environmental standards of production. SCS is an accredited auditor through its service partnership with CMi. The Tesco Nature’s Choice audit requires lab testing through an ELAP-accredited laboratory.
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) audits target retailers, brand owners, and manufacturing facilities doing business in or with the European Union. SCS is an accredited auditor through its service partnership with CMi.
For more information on SCS Food Safety Services or to schedule an audit, contact Heena Patel:
Self-Audits
The objective of a self-audit is to identify, review, confirm, or document food safety procedures and practices in preparation for an on-site SCS audit. SCS offers clients each of its GAP, GMP and HACCP auditing checklists in a self-audit format, available at no additional cost through the SCS Self Service Center. Each self-audit checklist contains the same set of questions that will be asked during the on-site audit and, thus, is an excellent pre-audit tool for growers, packers, processors, and distributors.
For more information on SCS Food Safety Services, contact Heena Patel:
Desktop Audits
As part of its Vendor Management program, SCS conducts independent reviews of GAP, GMP, and HACCP audits performed by other third-party auditing companies to ensure compliance with food safety requirements based on industry standards and client’s established food safety/security policies. SCS reviews audits against its internal evaluation criteria, and makes corrective action requests to co-packers/ suppliers. Third-party audit scores and SCS verified scores are available to the vendor management client through the SCS web site, via password protected access.
For more information on SCS Food Safety Services, contact Heena Patel: