ISO 22000: 2018
Food Safety Management Systems
ISO 22000:2018 - Global Standard For Food Safety Management Systems
Be at your best against food safety hazards by acquiring ISO 22000. Use Blue Wolf's certification service and international acknowledgment for Food Safety Management. Get certified with our friendly auditors. Request a quote today!
What is ISO 22000:2018?
ISO 22000 is the international standard for food safety management systems. It offers guidelines and sets out a framework for identifying and implementing effective measures to maintain food safety. Certification to ISO 22000 ensures a company’s accountability toward maintaining food safety at all stages of the food processing chain. The standard offers a comprehensive framework for identifying, monitoring, and preventing potential risk factors to food safety. The significant elements of the ISO 22000 food safety management system are:
- Interactive Communication
- System management
- Prerequisite programs
- Principles of HACCP (hazard analysis and critical control Point)
The first edition of ISO 22000 came in 2005 and the second and most current edition was introduced in 2018. For the food processing and manufacturing industry, ISO 22000 establishes a benchmark for improving the overall performance and efficiency in food safety. The standard generates awareness about the importance of food safety in international food supply chain management. ISO 22000 certification helps companies to maintain global safety standards for food so that they can successfully operate business locally and overseas. Companies achieving ISO 22000 certification will establish trust among their target segment, which supports business growth and profit margin.
What are the benefits of acquiring ISO 22000 certification?
Every organization is accountable to provide quality products, which have been processed with assured security and safety. It is a commitment to their customers who expect to receive quality service/products. Especially for the food production industry, there is a mandatory need for maintaining safety and security throughout receipt, production and delivery processes. ISO 22000 certification assures customers that the organization has maintained all the safety protocols which thereby increases their trust in the organization and its products. Customers purchasing from a certified organization can know with confidence that the product they are purchasing has received risk management treatment too. Here is a list of the top benefits, a company can enjoy by being certified by ISO 22000:
- Protection against hazardous events, which can disrupt the food processing system and become a safety issue for recipients.
- Improvement in transparency and management responsibility.
- Customer satisfaction and trust.
- Receiving, production and delivery under risk management principles.
- Regular and timely optimization of systems for continuous improvement.
- Assurance of effective food safety management across the supply chain.
- Improvement of stakeholder confidence.
Main Requirements Of ISO 22000
Implementation of a food safety management system designed by ISO 22000 needs to meet certain requirements. The standard uses a structure called Annex SL to cover four key areas:
1. Food Safety: Proper measures to check, review and improve safety systems for food safety across the supply chain.
2. Responsibility of the management: The accountability of senior management which determines the long-term success of the implemented safety management system.
3. Resource Management: To ensure satisfactory performance, it is important to acquire and manage the infrastructure, workforce, facilities, and other materials.
4. Analysis and subsequent improvement: A constant effort towards improvement is one of the prime objectives of ISO 22000. Management must employ effective measures to collect data, monitor, analyze and report system issues and performance from time to time.
To cover the key areas and comply, a company must:
- Develop clear objectives for management and employees.
- Provide training to increase awareness and engagement of internal stakeholders.
- Design and document the management system and its implementation.
- Select and authorize a food safety team made up of qualified individuals with the necessary expertise.
- Design and implement emergency plans.
- Determine the effectiveness of the management system through management review meetings.
- Maintain a robust system for product identification and traceability.
- Establish a corrective action system.
Certification Process
Commit: A trusted certification body is chosen, engaged, and an audit date is set.
Pre-assessment: If clients wish, an assessment before the stage 1 and 2 audits is performed.
Stage 1 Audit - The management system and documentation are reviewed to ensure everything is in place for the stage 2 audit, including determining whether the internal audit and the management review have been performed. An audit report is prepared and issued by the auditor for review. If everything looks good, the auditor confirms the stage 2 audit.
Stage 2 Audit - After addressing any concerns or opportunities for improvement from the stage 1 audit, the stage 2 audit is conducted by the auditor. The auditor checks that the management system is implemented and is compliant with ISO 22000. If there are any non-conformities, these are shared by the auditor. Once non-conformities are addressed and the auditor can confirm that the standard is being met, the auditor recommends the company for certification.
Issuing the certification - With the successful completion of the two stages of audits, the certification body issues the certification.
Surveillance Audits - Every certification lasts for 3 years. The certification body organizes annual audit programs to ensure ongoing compliance.
How Can Blue Wolf Certification Help You To Achieve ISO 22000 in The Best Way Possible?
Blue Wolf is a business associate of various accredited certification bodies. We audit you to determine if you meet the requirements of ISO 22000:2018. Once confirmed and certified, and to ensure 100% ongoing compliance, Blue Wolf continues to work with you through annual surveillance and recertification audits when your certificate expires.
Our auditors will help your certification experience be the best possible. We aim to help your organization achieve global acknowledgment if it effectively fulfills all the criteria.
Our audit programs are designed to ensure that your management system successfully conforms to the clauses of ISO 22000 as well as the policy objectives of your company. We are available to meet with you and offer exceptional customer care support. Talk to our experts or directly hire us to complete your certification journey.
What do we do?
- Conduct the stage 1 and stage 2 audit sessions to confirm whether the standard’s requirements and the organizational policies have been met systematically or not.
- We issue the certification after determining everything is in place and the system and organization deserves ISO certification.
- We conduct annual surveillance audits after your system gets certified to ensure ongoing compliance and support.
Let us assist you reach your goal of certification, and enjoy the benefits that come from recognition of your complaint ISO 22000 food safety management system.
Frequently Asked Questions
● Guidance on developing comprehensive safety framework to protect food processing and the supply chain from substantial risks such as contamination.
● A risk management protocol.
● It encourages management responsibility and workforce involvement and food safety protocols.
● Confidence that an ISO 22000 compliant food safety management system represents the standard in food safety management, and the opportunity to be recognized for compliance to that standard through third-party accredited certification.
● Customer satisfaction.
Factors that increase or decrease the number of audit days include the food chain category your organization is under, the number of HACCP studies at your location, the presence of other certified management systems, the number of personnel at the organization and the number of sites. All of this to ensure there is adequate audit time for your auditor to determine compliance to ISO 22000.
Each certification body determines their own day rate. The rates can vary depending on the standard, the availability of auditors and the amount auditors charge the certification body. Additional factors that affect cost are the certification body’s accreditation fees, admin costs, and other costs as outlined in their proposal. It is important to be aware of additional fees as they can add up. In some cases, a certification body’s day rate may be low, but additional fees can be high, so do your due diligence. Some certification bodies you may notice will charge premium pricing based on how they perceive themselves in the marketplace, however all certification bodies have the same credibility anywhere in the world because of their accreditation. Before choosing an accreditation body, it may be necessary to check with your customers if they care about the name of the certification body. It is very unlikely your customer cares about the name however as long as it is an accredited certification body.
Other costs can be the cost of travel including food, accommodation, etc. for the duration of the audit.
Client Testimonials
See what our clients have to say about Blue Wolf
It’s a very great experience. She (Tanya) helped me a lot and she explained a lot. If there is something that we might need to improve on, she will explain in a very detailed way. It’s a very smooth and very clear process. Definitely recommended.
Timothy Zeng
CEO, HQS Automotive.
Our experience has been that this process in working with the auditors has shown us more ways to improve internally than what we expected
Stacy Gestring
Founder, Art Advertising
One of the best business decisions I think we’ve made in the entire time we’ve been here in the company.
Gary Gestring
Founder, Art Advertising
When we first started the process of looking at the standard, we were afraid we would have to force our company into a new way of doing almost everything in doing our business. And we were very pleased to find out that the standard was meant to fit how we already were doing things. And Blue Wolf and Seth really helped us in the audit to not feel so intimidated by it, but to understand it, yes that the way we are doing it does fit the standard, and instead of just criticizing where we were coming short, he gave us advice and suggestions on how the standard is actually meant to be used, to improve how we are doing things, not to force us into a certain way of somebody else doing it.
Our experience has been that this process in working with the auditors has shown us more ways to improve internally than what we expected, and we would recommend going through this for anybody that’s considering it.
Stacy Gestring
Founder, Art Advertising
After a lot of research and careful review of our options we chose to work with Blue Wolf, and we know now that we made the right decision. It’s been a great process, and I would recommend to anyone that is considering ISO 9001 to at least have a conversation with them. I don’t think you would regret it at all.
At the very beginning of this process, I think we can safely say we were very nervous about it and apprehensive about doing it. After our auditor Seth Shea arrived, we realized again what a great decision we made. He’s made this process way much easier than we thought it might be, not as scary. And the insight he’s given us, and the observations and suggestions has been one of the most… really one of the best business decisions I think we’ve made in the entire time we’ve been here in the company.
Gary Gestring
Founder, Art Advertising
Firstly, on behalf of Adam and myself, we would like to thank you both very much for providing us with the support and service during our ISO accreditation and certification process.
Your professional and knowledgeable approach and support has been very much appreciated.
Adam
Mechpro
The experience was overwhelmingly really good. I thought we were ready but there were some lightbulb moments. It was a logical process. The auditor was patient. We wanted the certification for areas of opportunity and we had many recommendations. I appreciated the audit. I haven’t heard anything negative out of the process to date. It’s been good.
Tracey Costin
Affordable Staff
I’ve never been involved in auditing before. Completely new. Was not sure what to expect. The process was seamless. There were some good recommendations. I was made to feel comfortable. The process worked quite well. I’m feeling more than ready for the next audit. There was so much going on at the time of the audit that I just wanted to go back to the audit, it was more relaxing.
Eva Judge
Affordable Staff
“One of the greatest things that initially sold me on BLUE WOLF was your approach towards partnering, understanding, and treating us with respect towards where we are at in compliance with the standard.“
“I was nervous about it until we spoke on the phone in the premeeting. Once you started talking about your approach and your process I was sold. But to see it in real life and to see it actually come true was even more (…)”
After his first day of the audit: “I’ve been through so many audits you can’t even count. Your approach is by far superior than any other audit I’ve ever been through. The contrast was night and day. I’ve got some younger people who don’t have quite the same experience as I do, and their ability to feel like they could be participatory, have value and be respected throughout the process was outstanding. I have not made a better choice in picking a company to work with us in an audit process prior to you. You’re going to be here every year if I can help it. And if ownership changes and they want to do something different, I’ll fight to keep this process going because it has so much value.”
Joseph Shushok
Imerys
I’ve never been a part of one of these. I have learned absolutely so much. It was a privilege to be a part of this. I don’t ever want to experience an audit a different way.
Jama Morrison
Imerys, Quality Manager
If everybody could have an audit experience like this, more and more people would actually consider an ISO certification. Because so many people hear so many things about it, stressful myths, and everyone has a bad auditor experience from somewhere else. If more people could experience an audit this way, they wouldn’t have any reason to fear ISO.
Milo Fruk
CHS Broadbent, National EMS Director
I’ve seen some really bad crap auditors. Even I learned a whole lot from what we just went through with Seth that I didn’t even understand about the standard before.
Nick Maes
Automated Wellhead. Operations manager
“Blue Wolf has been great with providing us with clarity and direction so that our team can focus on the important aspects of our quality and safety management systems. What seemed like a very intimidating process to achieve ISO accreditation was made simple by Blue Wolf and their team. Their knowledge and our processes have added value and elevated our quality and safety program to another level. Thank you, Seth Shea, and the Blue Wolf team for a wonderful ongoing experience.”
Cynthia Sayer
Safety Administrator, Clark Bros, Inc.
“Streamlined. Easy to communicate, easy to talk to. Relaxed, didn’t feel pressured. Recommended for future ISO projects.”
Andrew Stewart
Inks Production Engineer, NovaCentrix
“We completed our audit today with 1 minor non-conformance and 2 observations. I would highly recommend Blue Wolf certifications to anyone else your company is working with. Our auditor Seth was so personable, made the audit process as relaxed and comfortable as possible, made our staff feel comfortable talking to him, and he was very thorough in his findings. He makes you feel like you are working together, which is HUGE and really rare in a company/auditor relationship.”
Kerry Ashby
Senior Director, PEO/HR + Payroll Operations, Choice Employer Solutions, Inc.