FSSC 22000 V5 – Key Changes for Certified Sites: What you need to know!

Scheme Documentation

Many previous documents have been combined into the main Standard document:

FSSC 22000 V5 Standard:

• Part 1: Scheme overview

• Part 2: Requirements for Organizations to be Audited

• Part 3: Requirements for the Certification Process

• Part 4: Requirements for Certification Bodies

• Part 5: Requirements for Accreditation Bodies

• Part 6: Requirements for Training Organizations

• Appendix 1: Definitions

• Appendix 2: References

In order to get familiar as soon as possible with the new requirements, we encourage you to visit the FSSC 22000 website where, as always, you can download all scheme documents for free here. 

ISO 22000:2005 has now been replaced by ISO 22000:2018. You can download information on the changes for this Standard here. All FSSC Certified organisations will transition to ISO 22000:2018 in 2020.

Clauses 2.5.6, 2.5.7, 2.5.9

• Management of allergens – scope expanded to cover more food categories (C, E, FI, G, I and K) (Clause 2.5.6)

• Environmental monitoring - scope expanded to cover more food categories (C, E, FI, I and K) (Clause 2.5.7)

• New requirement for Transport and Delivery (Category FI) (Clause 2.5.9) – Minimising the potential for contamination.

Clause 4.4 – Contract

Certified organizations have a contractual obligation to inform the Certification Body within 3 days in case of any of the following events which could affect the status of their FSSC Certification:

• significant changes that may affect the compliance with the Scheme requirements;

• serious events that impact the FSMS or FSQMS, legality and/or the integrity of the certification which include legal proceedings, prosecutions, situations which pose major threats to food safety, quality or certification integrity as a result of natural or man-made disasters (e.g. war, strike, terrorism, crime, flood, earthquake, malicious computer hacking, etc.);

• public food safety events (such as e.g. public recalls, food safety outbreaks, incidents etc.);

• changes to organization name, address and site details;

• changes to organization (e.g. legal, commercial, organisational status or ownership) and management;

• changes to the management system, scope of operations and product categories covered by the certified management system;

• any other change that renders the information on the certificate inaccurate.

Clause 5.4.1 – Unannounced Audits

The certified organization can voluntary choose to replace all surveillance audits by unannounced surveillance audits. Recertification audits may be conducted unannounced at the request of the certified organization.

Head Office and Multi-site Audits

In the event of non-conformities raised in a head office audit, these are assumed to have impact on the equivalent procedures applicable to all sites.

Timeframes relating to management of non-conformities

• Minor non-conformity

The CB approval shall be completed within three (3) months after the last day of the audit. Exceeding this timeframe shall result in a suspension of the certificate.

• Major non-conformity

The CB shall review the corrective action plan and conduct an on-site follow-up audit to verify the implementation of the CA to close the major nonconformity. The CB may decide to perform a desk review if the they feel this is sufficient. Any follow-up activity shall be completed within 28 days from the last day of the audit.

• Critical non-conformity

A separate audit shall be conducted by the CB between 6 weeks to 6 months after the regular audit to verify the effective implementation of the corrective actions.