Background of the company's certification decision and pre - training
In the dynamic environment of enterprise operation, the effective operation of the food safety management system is of crucial importance. The existing food safety management system (ISO22000:2005) certificate of our company is about to expire at the end of December this year. This is not only a node for certificate renewal but also an opportunity to adapt to the development trend of the food safety management system. With the continuous evolution and improvement of industry standards, in order to ensure that the company maintains a leading position in the field of food safety and meet the higher requirements of the market and consumers, the company's management has made a decisive decision to carry out the food safety system certification (FSSC22000:2011).
In order to enable the company's internal auditors to have an in - depth understanding and master the FSSC22000:2011 system, the company specially hired professional training teachers from a certification consulting company in June. These teachers have rich industry experience and professional knowledge. Through systematic course explanations, case analyses and interactive discussions, they helped the internal auditors comprehensively understand the requirements, framework and implementation key points of the new system. Through this training, the internal auditors have laid a solid foundation for the subsequent system promotion and audit work within the company.
System document update and improvement
In September, in the work I was in charge of, I comprehensively updated the Quality Manual, the Procedure Documents, and the HACCP Plan. Based on the company's existing food safety management system (ISO22000:2005), we carefully studied and incorporated relevant contents of PAS220:2008. This process was not a simple superposition but a deep optimization of the entire system.
When improving the "Product Protection Plan", we fully considered the entire life cycle of the product from raw material procurement to final sales, and conducted a detailed review and risk assessment of all aspects that might affect product quality and safety. At the same time, taking advantage of this certification opportunity, we re - planned the "Hazard Analysis". Through in - depth analysis and assessment of the production process, we found that we could optimize and adjust the critical control points. The number of critical control points in the production process was reduced from the original five to two, and the other three were transformed into operational prerequisite programs. Such an adjustment not only improves the efficiency of the production process but also more precisely controls food safety risks.
In addition, in accordance with the requirements of PAS220:2008, the Sanitation Standard Operating Procedure (SSOP) has been improved. We have re - examined all aspects of sanitation operations, including personnel hygiene, equipment cleaning, workshop environment and other aspects, and formulated more detailed and strict operating specifications to ensure that the company's production environment and operation processes meet the standard requirements of the Food Safety System Certification (FSSC22000:2011).
Internal audit and rectification
Since it is the first time to conduct the Food Safety System Certification (FSSC22000:2011), internal audit is an essential part. At the end of September, I organized the company's internal auditors to carry out the internal audit work. The auditors conducted a comprehensive and detailed inspection of each department, production link and system documents of the company in accordance with the standard requirements of FSSC22000:2011. During the audit process, they carefully searched for the non - conformities between the company and the system and recorded them in detail.
In response to the non - conformities found during the audit, we organized relevant departments to conduct in - depth analysis and discussions, and formulated practical rectification measures. All departments actively cooperated and took prompt actions to seriously rectify the existing problems. Through this internal audit and rectification, we have further improved the company's food safety management system and made full preparations for the formal certification audit.
Certification audit process
On the first day after the double holidays, that is, at 8:30 a.m. on October 8, 2012, three auditing teachers arrived at the company on time and started this important certification audit work. From 8:40 to 9:20, the first meeting was held. At the meeting, the auditing teachers introduced the purpose, scope and methods of the audit, and the company's management also expressed their attention and support for the audit work.
After the meeting, one teacher stayed in the meeting room to start checking the systematic documents we had carefully prepared, while the other two teachers went to the factory area and workshops to get familiar with the company's overall environment. They didn't miss any details and carefully observed the layout and sanitation conditions of the factory area, as well as the operation of equipment and the operations of personnel in the workshops. At 11:00, the two teachers returned to the office to meet with the other teacher and began to conduct in - depth research on our production process and quality plan. They comprehensively understood the company's production process and quality management measures by consulting documents and communicating with relevant personnel.
At 13:30 in the afternoon, two teachers went to the workshop again for on - site inspection. They had a clear division of labor and worked closely together. Teacher L started from the pre - treatment workshop. After entering the workshop, he first had an in - depth communication with the workshop director and detailedly inquired about the basic production situation of the workshop, including production capacity, product types, production plans, etc. Then, he carefully observed the flow of various materials and process control in the workshop production, and made a detailed inspection and inquiry on each production step. During the inspection process, Teacher L not only carefully checked the documents and records but also had an in - depth discussion with our staff and put forward many valuable suggestions. He didn't leave the workshop until 16:55. His high - level dedication deeply moved us.
Throughout the entire audit process, the three auditors demonstrated a very high level of professionalism and dedication. Their audit work was rigorous and meticulous, leaving no detail that might affect food safety unnoticed. This forms a sharp contrast to some customer audits we received this year. Some customers only simply pointed out problems during the audit but failed to offer specific rectification suggestions; some other customers issued non - conformities that lacked practical significance after the audit. However, these three auditors from foreign - funded enterprises won our respect and admiration with their professionalism and dedication.
Audit results and insights
After a tense and orderly audit, we finally passed this audit successfully with 4 min and 3 obs non - conformities, which means we are about to obtain the FSSC:2011 certificate. Looking back on the process of this audit, I have the following profound insights:
First of all, adequate preparation within the company is crucial. Since the audit time coincided with the holiday, I urged each department of the company in advance to get the relevant materials and daily work in order by September 28th. During the holiday, I also took one day off to be on duty at the company to ensure the smooth progress of all work. Only with sufficient internal preparation can we handle the audit with ease.
Secondly, during the certification audit process, one should put aside one's airs and accompany the audit teachers in person. This can make the audit teachers feel that the company attaches great importance to the system and respects them. During these two and a half days, I would arrive at the company early every morning. After spending half an hour handling my daily work, I would accompany the audit teachers throughout the process, promptly answer their questions and provide necessary assistance.
Furthermore, during the review process, timely responses and explanations should be provided for the questions raised by the review teachers, and timely rectifications should be made for the discovered problems. If there is time, efforts should be made to make up for the deficiencies. In this way, the review teachers can see the company's attitude and determination towards active improvement.
Finally, we should lower our stance and actively consult the auditors. The food safety management system is a process of continuous development and improvement. We should take advantage of the audit opportunity to learn from professional auditors and continuously improve our system. During the audit, I showed the company's confirmation and verification work plans and reports to the auditors and asked them for their opinions and suggestions. They also gave us careful guidance, which benefited us greatly.
Conclusion
The successful completion of this certification audit would not have been possible without the hard work and professional guidance of the three audit teachers, nor without the active cooperation and joint efforts of our colleagues in the company. Here, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the three audit teachers for their rigorous work attitude and selfless assistance. At the same time, I also want to thank every employee in the company for their contributions. It is the joint efforts of all of us that have further improved and enhanced our food safety management system. In future work, we will continue to maintain this rigorous work style, continuously optimize the food safety management system, and provide consumers with safer and higher - quality products.