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Episode #5: Documentation Assessments and Supplier Reassessments

Episode #5: Documentation Assessments and Supplier Reassessments

Supplier Approval Programs

Episode 5 of the Supplier Approval video series explores the process of selecting suppliers for your facility and emphasizes the importance of collecting legal and food safety documentation from the supplier.

The documents you collect from each supplier will depend on a variety of factors. You will need to consider the risk level of the supplier and the type of material or product to be supplied. This episode will get into problem-solving in further detail in regards to assessing risk level and supplier reassessments

The type of finished product produced at your facility, as well as any optional claims used on the product, such as Organic or Kosher, should also be considered when collecting supplier documentation. For a list of supplier documents to consider during the supplier approval process, check out our free resources.

When establishing a new Supplier Approval Program or completing an annual review, give yourself plenty of time for the document collection process. Where possible, you should collect documentation from your suppliers demonstrating that there is a functional food safety system in place within the facility and operation prior to purchasing from them.

If your suppliers participate in a voluntary 3rd party audit, collecting the audit certificate and audit report, if possible, is another way to assess the food safety systems of your suppliers. Suppliers that participate in a GFSI scheme audit such as SQF, BRCGS, FSSC 22000, or PrimusGFS should be prioritized, as these suppliers are held to the highest level of food safety and quality standards.

In our next episode, we will discuss the use of software solutions in Supplier Approval Programs, and how these solutions can support your supplier approval process.

To learn more, visit the free food safety training videos & resources section of our website.

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