BRCGS Certification & Audit Services

✓ A US retailer — such as Costco, Whole Foods, or Trader Joe's — has requested BRCGS certification as part of their supplier approval or vendor compliance program

✓ A broadline foodservice distributor such as Sysco or US Foods requires GFSI-recognized certification and has specified BRCGS as an accepted or preferred scheme

✓ You are a US importer bringing food products from EU or UK brands stateside, and those brand owners require their supply chain to hold BRCGS certification

✓ You supply food-contact packaging materials, and your US food manufacturer customers require BRCGS Packaging Materials certification from their packaging suppliers

✓ You operate a third-party warehouse or distribution facility and a food manufacturer or retail customer requires BRCGS Storage & Distribution certification

✓ You supply UK or EU retailers directly or through an importer, and those buyers specify BRCGS as a condition of supply

AA

Outstanding

Zero Major or Critical; minimal Minors

A

Excellent

No Majors; limited Minors

B

Good

No Majors; moderate Minors

C

Satisfactory

Minor Majors; addressed in CAPA

D

Conditional

Significant findings; 28-day re-audit

F

Fail

Critical NC or Grade D re-audit failure

What is a BRCGS audit?

A BRCGS audit is an on-site assessment by GFSI-accredited auditors to verify your food safety management system against the BRCGS standard.

How much does BRCGS certification cost?

Certification fees vary by site size, audit type, and scope. QIMA provides tailored cost estimates during the application stage.

What are BRC global standards?

BRC global standards are the GFSI-recognized frameworks for Food Safety, Packaging Materials, and Storage & Distribution.

How often do I need a BRCGS audit?

Annual certification audits are required, with unannounced audits every three years or as specified by your buyers.

What does it mean to be BRCGS certified?

It means you have an official graded certificate from QIMA confirming your conformance to GFSI BRCGS food safety standards.

We are concerned about unannounced audits. Do we have to choose the unannounced option?

BRCGS clients are required to have an unannounced audit. They can choose: - Mandatory unannounced audit - every 3 years the site must have an unannounced audit. -Voluntary unannounced audit program – every audit is unannounced.

If we opt into unannounced audits, how much notice will we receive?

Under the BRCGS Unannounced scheme, organizations are not given the specific audit date in advance. QIMA is authorized to arrive on site within a defined window period set by BRCGS scheme rules. Organizations opting into this program agree to be audit-ready throughout the entire window. Specific rules governing notice periods and window duration are set by BRCGS and confirmed during the application stage.

What happens if the auditor arrives on an unannounced visit and key personnel are unavailable?

BRCGS scheme rules define the conditions under which an unannounced audit can be rescheduled or aborted without penalty. These rules are site-specific and based on the nature of unavailability. QIMA communicates the relevant scheme provisions during application. Organizations on the unannounced program are expected to have documented contingency arrangements to maintain audit-readiness regardless of personnel availability.

How do we know if we are ready for a BRCGS audit?

Readiness is the organisation's responsibility to assess. BRCGS scheme rules require that the food safety management system has been implemented and operational for a defined minimum period before the initial audit. Auditors evaluate implementation and effectiveness — not just documentation. Signs that an organisation is audit-ready typically include:

HACCP plan fully developed and reviewed by the HACCP team

Prerequisite programmes documented and operating records available

Internal audit programme completed for all applicable BRCGS sections

Management review conducted and documented

Corrective actions raised through internal audit process have been addressed

Can QIMA help us assess readiness before the audit?

QIMA is a certification body. Our role is to conduct independent, impartial audits — not to provide consulting advice or pre-audit gap assessments that could compromise our independence. If your organisation wants an independent gap assessment before applying, we recommend engaging a qualified food safety consultant who is not associated with QIMA's certification function. We can confirm scope, duration, and process requirements during the application stage.

How long does the BRCGS audit take?

Audit duration is determined by site size (measured in total employees and operational complexity), scope of products and processes, and the number of BRCGS Standard sections applicable. BRCGS publishes audit duration guidance as part of its scheme rules, which QIMA applies when confirming your audit plan. As an indicative range: small sites may complete in one day; larger, more complex operations typically require two days. Duration is confirmed at the application stage based on your specific site profile.

We have already invested in another food safety system. Do we have to start from scratch for BRCGS?

Not necessarily. Organisations with existing GFSI-recognised certifications (such as SQF, FSSC 22000, or IFS) will find significant overlap in the underlying food safety management requirements — HACCP, prerequisite programmes, internal audit, and management review requirements are common across GFSI-recognised schemes. However, BRCGS has scheme-specific structural requirements and grading criteria. Auditors evaluate conformance against the BRCGS Standard specifically — not against equivalent requirements from another scheme.

What happens if we receive Major nonconformities during the audit?

Major nonconformities do not automatically result in certification failure. Under BRCGS rules, Major nonconformities require the organisation to submit documented corrective action evidence within 28 days of the audit report being issued. QIMA's certification committee reviews the corrective action evidence before making a certification decision. The grade awarded reflects the total number of Major and Minor nonconformities recorded during the audit. If corrective action evidence is not submitted within the required timeframe or is assessed as inadequate, certification may be refused.

What is a Critical nonconformity, and what does it mean for our certification?

A Critical nonconformity under BRCGS is defined as a finding that poses an immediate risk to food safety, legality, or product integrity — or represents a fundamental breakdown of the food safety management system. A single Critical nonconformity results in a Grade F (Fail). Certification cannot be granted for that audit cycle. The organisation must address the root cause and may apply for a new audit. Critical nonconformity definitions and examples are published in the BRCGS Standard.

What is the difference between a Major and Minor nonconformity?

The BRCGS Standard defines nonconformity classifications based on severity and risk:

Critical — Immediate food safety, legality, or integrity risk. Results in Grade F.

Major — A significant failure that could affect food safety or could result in a non-safe product. Requires documented CAPA within 28 days.

Minor — A partial failure against a BRCGS requirement. Accumulation of Minors determines grade level. Must be addressed by the next audit.

What format does corrective action evidence need to be in?

BRCGS requires objective evidence that the root cause of each Major nonconformity has been identified and addressed. This typically includes a documented root cause analysis, evidence of the corrective action taken, and evidence of verification that the action is effective. QIMA provides the nonconformity report in the audit documentation. Corrective action responses are submitted through QIMA's certification management system within the 28-day window.

Can we appeal a nonconformity finding or our audit grade?

Yes. QIMA has a formal appeals process for organizations that wish to challenge a certification decision or specific audit findings. Appeals must be submitted within the timeframe defined in QIMA's appeals procedure and are reviewed independently by the appeals team. BRCGS scheme rules also include provisions related to complaints about the certification process. QIMA's appeals procedure is provided to all applicants as part of the certification agreement.