Category: Top-3

At Certima, we believe the certification process should be straightforward and supportive. That’s why we’ve developed an auditing methodology that not only ensures compliance but also gives you insights to improve your processes and systems. We perform independent, unbiased audits with objectivity, fostering continuous improvement of our customers’ processes. Our process is designed to be clear, transparent, and efficient, supporting the wellbeing of people.

Our approach goes beyond ticking the boxes. We create long-term value for your business by ensuring the certification process strengthens your operations while meeting industry requirements. At Certima, we support you every step of the way, making the journey clear, practical, and beneficial.

We understand compliance is key, but we also know that the right certification can open doors to new opportunities and build trust with your customers. That’s why we focus on making the process smooth and transparent, so you can focus on running your business.

Here’s how our certification process works ⬇️:

1️. Application Stage
You submit an application form with detailed information about your products and technologies. Once reviewed, we define the scope, duration, send an offer and assign a qualified auditor.

2️. Scheduling Stage
After signing the agreement, we schedule your audit. The auditor must observe all products and technology categories within your scope, and we remain flexible to fit your certification timeframe having an available auditor capacity.

3️. Audit Preparation
To ensure an efficient audit, we request key documents in advance, such as your HACCP plan, organizational chart, process flow diagram, certification and recall history.

4️. On-Site Audit
We ensure that our customers meet international standards’, regulatory and client requirements through rigorous compliance. We identify strengths and areas for improvement, providing an End of Audit Letter documenting any non-conformities.

5️. Detailed Reporting
A detailed report is provided after the audit, highlighting non-conformities observed by the auditor.

6️. Corrective Actions
You have 14 days to submit a corrective action plan, specifying steps to eliminate non-conformities and prevent recurrence.

7️. Approval of Corrective Actions
The auditor reviews and approves your corrective actions. If actions are inadequate, we return the plan for revision. This process must be completed within 28 days.

8️. Report Review and Certification Decision
After final review, if criteria are met, we issue your certification, confirming that your business complies with standard requirements.

If you’re ready to explore how Certima can help you achieve certification and enhance your business’s credibility, feel free to reach out. Let’s connect and make this journey as seamless possible for you.

We’re excited to bring you an interactive and insightful session, designed with you in mind!

📅 Join us on 8th November 2024 for a deep dive into the latest updates and strategies to keep your FSMS running smoothly and future-proof.

• Date: 8.11.2024
• Start time: 9 CET
• End time: 12 CET
• Trainer: Anton Hartog

Here’s what’s on for you :

• The newest updates in IFS Food 8 & BRCGS Food Safety 9
• Common FSMS issues and practical solutions
• Tackling non-conformities with root cause analysis and corrective actions
• Building a strong food safety culture
• Managing food safety incidents with confidence
• Plus, updates on IFS Logistics ver. 3 and IFS Broker ver. 3.2

Why should you join?🤔

This isn’t just another event – it’s your chance to learn, share your experiences, and ensure your food safety management system is prepared for the future.

Want to stay ahead of the game? Then, register now : https://forms.gle/WtcPuQe9mCpQPSnx8

If you want to apply for an offer, please visit: https://certima.org/offer/

We look forward to having you with us!

Dear customers and partners,

We would like to inform you that we have already in our portfolio an additional service for our IFS Logistics certified customers – QS quality scheme for food (QS Quality and Safety GmbH).

Logistics companies handling fruit, vegetables and potatoes as well as storage companies handling meat and meat products can obtain a delivery authorization to the QS system by recognizing the IFS Logistics Standard without the performance of any additional inspection on the top of their IFS Logistics annual certification audit.  For this purpose, you can register yourselves in the QS software platform and select Certima BV as your certification body and we will confirm the validity of your current IFS Logistics certificate in the QS database.

Further information can be found here: https://www.q-s.de/

If you are interested in this service and want to receive more information about our terms and conditions, please contact us at: customerservice@certima.org

The new version 3.2. of the IFS Broker standard was released on 29.02.2024. IFS Broker version 3.2. audits become mandatory from 1.07.2024.

The most significant modification concerns the scoring system. Following the other IFS Standards, the B-score is now a deviation again, requiring a correction or corrective action by the audited company.
These updates contribute to greater transparency as customers and other stakeholders of the audited company can easily recognise how the audit was carried out. Furthermore, the report shows which deviation led to the B-score and the action plan specifies what needs to be done to correct the deviation. This creates greater clarity for everyone involved.

As many IFS audits are combined audits with other IFS Standards, it was essential for IFS to align version 3.2 with the other updated IFS Standards, especially IFS Food 8 and IFS Logistics 3. The revisions significantly facilitate the performance of combined IFS Audits.

In IFS Broker 3.2, IFS also introduce the star status, signaling that the audit was unannounced.
Although the changes in the requirements are just a few, the auditing approach and grading of deviations challenges the audited companies to adopt a much deeper understanding and implementation of these requirements into their food safety management system.

• Download IFS Broker 3.2
• Download the updated IFS Scoring System Brochure

The new version 3 of the IFS Logistics standard was released on 6.12.2023.

IFS Logistics version 3 audits are possible starting 1 June 2024 and become mandatory on 1 December 2024.

In general, the applicability of version 2.3 ends on 30 November 2024. However, version 2.3 can apply after 1 December 2024 in some exceptional situations (multi-location, follow-up and extension audits).

For unannounced audits version 3 applies when the audit window starts on or after 1 October 2024.

IFS Logistics version 3 has fewer requirements and an optimized protocol and structure. Further updates concern the scoring system, extensions and clarifications in the scopes, and introduction of the star status to indicate an unannounced audit. It is now aligned with the IFS Food Standard version 8, which is relevant for combined audits.

The most significant changes are:

• Fewer requirements, an optimized protocol, and a structure that consequently follows the audit path.
• A new scope for animal feed is added and IFS introduced two more logistics processing services: simple sorting of fruits and vegetables and labelling.
• The IFS Logistics scope is extended and clarified, especially for short-term storage/transport of containers, organizing logistics activities and exclusion rules.
• Partly outsourced logistics processing services are included in the standard.
• The B-score is again classified as a deviation, so businesses can define a correction and corrective action to improve their performance continuously.
• The new IFS Star status indicates that the audit was unannounced. Supply chain partners can immediately see that the certified company stands out.
• Alignment with the Codex Alimentarius and ISO/IEC 17065, GFSI Benchmarking Requirements and considers ISO22003-2.

More information you can find here:

IFS_Logistics_v3_launch_newsletter_for_industry_EN_1701859182.pdf (ifs-certification.com)

At Certima, we will be taking swift action to update our processes and incorporate the changes, and we will be providing certification for the standard as soon as it comes into effect.

We will launch soon numerous communications and events to inform you accordingly about the changes that the IFS Logistics certified companies should effectuate in their FSMS prior to their IFS Logistics ver. 3 audits.

Beste klanten en partners,

Als officiële partner van het komende VMT Food Safety Event nodigen wij u uit om Certima™ te vergezellen voor een persoonlijke ontmoeting bij stand 11.

Het evenement vindt plaats op 16 november 2023 in de DeFabrique, Westkanaaldijk 7, 3542 DA Utrecht.

Waarom zou u het VMT Voedselveiligheidsevenement bezoeken?

Het Food Safety Event van VMT is de jaarlijkse bijeenkomst waar de crème de la crème van kwaliteitsprofessionals, regelgevingszaken en management in food samenkomt.

Praktisch, verdiepend, netwerken en ervaringen uitwisselen vormen de rode draad door het programma.

De bijeenkomst is bedoeld voor levensmiddelentechnologen, procestechnologen, voedingsdeskundigen en wetenschappers, productontwikkelaars, kwaliteitsmanagers en management in de voedingssector die de toekomst van ons voedsel vormgeven.

Het technische en klantenserviceteam van Certima staat klaar om u te ontmoeten, inzichten over de nieuwste ontwikkelingen te delen en al uw vragen te beantwoorden.

Bekijk hier het volledige programma van het VMT Food Safety Event

 

Kies voor Certima omdat kwaliteit belangrijk is

Certima scoort hoog bij belanghebbenden en klanten

We scoren nul tekortkomingen op een aantal indicatoren van IFS, en een hoog niveau van naleving en vertrouwen bij de RvA en onze klanten. Certima heeft bij BRCGS sinds de start 5 sterren en scoort de afgelopen 2 jaar ruim 95% op KPI’s. Bekijk hier ons volledige prestatierapport voor 2022.

Wij hebben aandacht voor uw vragen en plannen uw audit snel
We hebben auditorcapaciteit beschikbaar en we doen ons best om de audits binnen uw certificeringstermijn uit te voeren.

Individuele aanpak op basis van klantbehoeften en informatie uit de eerste hand
Ons team heeft een toonaangevende kennis van zowel het technische als het protocol  gedeelte van de standaarden en we gaan altijd een stap verder om de benodigde oplossing voor onze klanten te vinden binnen het kader van de eisen.

 

Dear customers,

IFS Management GmbH has announced the official publication of the IFS Food version 8 standard. IFS Food version 8 audits are possible from 1 October 2023 and become mandatory for all certified companies as of 1 January 2024.

In general, the applicability of version 7 ends on 31 December 2023. In some exceptional situations, IFS Food version 7 can apply after 1 January 2024. The general admission of these exceptions ends on 31 December 2024. Here is an overview:

For unannounced audits: Version 8 applies when the audit window starts on or after 1 October.

For multi-site audits: You need to audit sites and head office to the same version. After 1 January 2024, version 8 applies to all audits performed at the head office.
For follow-up audits: When the connected “main” audit took place according to version 7 before 1 January 2024, version 7 applies for the follow-up audit.
For extension audits: When the connected “main” audit took place according to version 7 before 1 January 2024, version 7 also applies for the extension audit

A number of changes have been implemented to the requirements part of the standard and the protocol. The IFS Food has been aligned with Codex Alimentarius and ISO 22003-2 and also the GFSI Benchmarking Requirements. The scoring system has been improved guiding the IFS certified companies towards continuous improvement in their performance. And a number of rules and administrative requirements have been optimized to meet the call for greater value and efficiency.

At Certima, we will be taking swift action to update our processes and incorporate the changes, and we will be providing certification for the standard as soon as it comes into effect.

We will launch soon numerous communications and events to inform you accordingly about the changes that the IFS certified companies should effectuate in their FSMS prior to their IFS Food 8 audits.

Dear customers,

We are excited to share our unrivalled performance results from the past year. The evaluation of our stakeholders and customers show that we enjoy a high level of trust among them.

Certima holds 5 stars with BRCGS since the beginning of its operation in 2019. At the latest KPI assessment we gained 98.21 % (5 stars requirement is >90). We score with 0 failures on a number of indicators of IFS, and high level of compliance and trust with RvA.

We are mostly encouraged by our customer survey which shows a high rate of customer satisfaction with our services.

None of these achievements would have been possible without your dedicated work and performance. We would like to express our sincere appreciation for your trust and loyal cooperation over the past four years – years of learning and growth for Certima team.

Check out our full performance report here