The seminar has been organised by DQS Certification AUSNZ, which has sponsored the visit to Melbourne by two international experts who will be the keynote speakers addressing the Standards and third party certifications.
Admission to the seminar is free. The seminar will take place on Tuesday 19 March 2013 at 3.00pm at the RACV Club, 501 Bourke St Melbourne. Registration information appears below.
DQS Certification AUSNZ says that recent history is littered by many examples of breaches in product safety and noncompliance with relevant legal requirements. “The outcome is always predictable – dissatisfied consumers, unhappy retailers, increased costs and loss of revenue. Most importantly, there is a loss of the trust in product, brand and the supplier,” said DQS Certification AUSNZ.
But there is a positive side, say the event’s organisers. Recent breaches and noncompliance have seen the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), which is a business-driven action, provide a framework over the last 5 years for facilitation of continuous improvement of food safety management systems.
The key objective of the Initiative is to maintain confidence in the delivery of safe food to consumers around the globe. GFSI provides the platform for exchange of knowledge and expertise between the best food safety practitioners in the world, many retailers, manufacturers, food service enterprises and other worthy contributors within the food safety supply chain.
Since GFSI does not undertake any certification or accreditation activities they have recognised a number of food safety management schemes that fulfil their criteria defined in the GFSI Guidance Document. Subsequently, certification according to a GFSI recognised scheme can be achieved through a successful third party audit against any of the following schemes approved by GFSI:
• BRC Global Standard for Food Safety
• CanadaGAP (Canadian Horticultural Council on-Farm Food Safety Program)
• FSSC 22000 Food Products
• Global Aquaculture Alliance Seafood Processing Standard
• GLOBAL G.A. P.
• Global Red Meat Standard (GRMS)
• IFS Food Version 6
• PrimusGFS
• Safe Quality Food
These food safety standards are not all the same. Some are aimed at specific industry and other for primary produce only. The most demanding standards, such as BRC, FSSC 22000 and IFS, are comprehensive food safety management systems standards based on GMP, PRPs, HACCP, risk minimisation management and sound quality management principles.
What is the best Standard for food businesses? The seminar will provide an opportunity for members of the food industry to learn more about IFS, which is one of the strictest food safety management systems schemes currently available and recognised by the largest retailers in the world, said DQS Certification AUSNZ.
Attendants will also learn why companies certified to IFS perform well in their markets. The event will be an opportunity to learn and to share views, said the event’s organisers.
