Certima Blog
A GFSI certificate is a strong foundation for supplier quality. But when your product has unique specifications, is it enough?
Certification provides a robust, standardized framework for food safety. However, for buyers—retailers and manufacturers—who require extra certainty regarding their specific product, process, or quality tolerances, certification is often just the starting point. Industry discussions often highlight this distinction: “All certified. All audited. All compliant… What’s your incoming inspection failure rate? About 15%.” This is not a reflection of certification shortcomings, but rather a reminder of its purpose....
READ MOREAug
Certima Blog
IFS has updated the doctrines for IFS Food, IFS Broker, and IFS Logistics. Here is what that means for companies working under these standards.
Doctrines serve as authoritative interpretations of how specific requirements should be understood and applied. They are not optional guidance. They define the expected approach during certification audits. In April 2026, IFS published updated doctrines across three of its core standards. Updates reflect accumulated audit experience, emerging regulatory priorities, and feedback from the certification ecosystem. When doctrines change, the basis for assessment changes with them. Companies operating under...
READ MOREAug
Certima Blog
A routine supplier audit identified something that had not been flagged in two consecutive certification audits. Here is what that situation showed.
Supplier audits and certification audits serve different purposes. A certification audit assesses a supplier’s system against a defined standard. A supplier audit, conducted by or on behalf of a buyer, evaluates whether that supplier relationship presents specific risks relevant to a particular product or process. The following reflects a general pattern observed across multiple audit engagements. No company or individual is identified. A food manufacturer had an...
READ MORE