Strategies for Improving Auditor Competency on a Global Perspective

SGS Food Safety Services Zeb Blanton Global Key Account Manager 1-407-618-4893 [email_address] Strategies for Improving Auditor Competency on a Global Perspective

INTRODUCTION
Food safety issues remain at the forefront of public attention much in part due to issues such as salmonella in tomatoes and peppers, melamine in milk and salmonella in peanuts.
Globalization and international trade have drastically changed the way that food is produced, processed, transported and consumed. This presents stakeholders with new challenges to food safety and quality.

INTRODUCTION
In today's age of the globalization and ever-increasing consumer awareness, there are ever escalating initiatives surrounding food quality and safety.
Food safety and quality programs are increasingly focusing on a farm-to-fork approach as a way of reducing food borne hazards entering the food chain.

CHALLENGES TO FOOD SAFETY
Organizations are being forced to take even more ownership for food safety and to protect their brands.
Tighter controls are being established to safeguard the food supply chain.
Traceability and integrated management programs are now an essential part of the food chain.

CHALLENGES TO FOOD SAFETY
Problems remain and food safety and security concerns continue to increase globally.
Governments are tightening regulations, reducing MRL’s (Maximum Residue Levels) and engaging more with Third Party Providers to gain more control on the food supply chain.

THE CONSUMER
Consumers are changing their eating habits, focusing more on functional foods, health and diet as well as expanding their culinary tastes.
They seek fresher products often minimally processed foods or semi prepared foods that offer higher convenience.
Consumers are becoming more concerned about Value, Nutrition, Taste, and Organics.

THE CONSUMER
Even with the current economic conditions, more consumers now eat out of the home which introduces an even longer and more complex food supply and consumption chain.
Also, during these difficult economic conditions people appear to be buying more ingredients and less prepared whole meals.

THE CONSUMER EVOLUTION
Today consumers are increasing their demand for companies to prove that they have appropriate systems in place to ensure that food safety and quality are addressed.

THE CONSUMER EVOLUTION
The trends are that the food industry is being called on to ensure:
Balanced Value (Price vs Quality)
Confidence and Transparency
Consistency and predictability
Regulatory compliance
Adequate control over product recall and traceability
Above all else, that the food consumers eat is safe

Strategies for Improving Auditor Competency
So, how do we Improve Auditor Competency?

GLOBAL CAPABILITIES TO DELIVER
Number of qualified auditors:
ISO 9001 (450 + auditors)
ISO 22000/FSSC22000 (290 + auditors)
HACCP & GMP (430 + auditors)
SQF 1000, SQF 2000 (90 + auditors)
BRC (200 + auditors / 15 for Food Packaging)
IFS (60+ auditors)
GLOBALGAP (100+ auditors)
Plant Audits /Second Party Audit/Supplier Audit (600+)

CHARACTER:
Inspiring the trust of all stakeholders by taking responsibility, acting with integrity and leading with courage.

COMPETENCE:
Building a learning and diverse culture, characterized by excellence in thought, execution and agility.

TEAMWORK:
Working together to do extraodinary things in the workplace as well as the marketplace.

Training…Training…Training
Specific Client Training
Industry Specific Training
Commodity Specific Training
Teaching and understanding the FDA Food Code
Country, State and Local Laws and Ordinances

AUDITOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Formal educational training in food safety or related field from an accredited College or University
Company meetings and in-house training
Conference/Industry sponsored workshops
Professional Body/Association meeting attendance

AUDITOR QUALIFICATIONS & TRAINING
Must have Lead Auditor Training (ISO 9001:2008).
Must have HACCP Training (Certificate Required).
Must have a minimum of 160 hours annually in Food Safety/Quality Auditing in the Food Industry (20 Audit Days).

Must have 5 years work experience in food safety, HACCP Program Management and/or Quality Systems Management experience in the food industry.
For each category the auditor audits for, he should have experience in that Food Sector Category or have 120 hours related experience (160 for high risk) audit experience or combination of each.

Must be contracted or employed by SGS.
Must Sign and Submit the SGS “Auditor Code of Conduct”.
Must sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement with SGS.

MAINTAINING AUDITOR QUALIFICATION
Must maintain an audit log for all completed audits in all programs.
All Audits must be “Formal Audits” and the auditor must have participated as the Lead Auditor.

Review Audit Reports and Documentation
Review of Auditor comments
Should be complete and be able to be understood by anyone reading the report
Limited use of Acronyms
Shadow and/or Supervised Audits

3 rd Party Shadow Audits (by clients).
Encourage Auditors to participate in local associations related to our industry.
Auditor Survey feed back from Suppliers.
Provide written feedback to the Auditor for improving audit skills.

What makes a good Auditor?
Knowledge, Confidence and Trust
Honesty and Integrity
Dedication and Professionalism
Courtesy and Respect

Make a plan or agenda and stick to it.
Be thorough and accurate, call it like it is.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions.
Listen more and talk less.

Maintain your composure and don’t over re-act.
Watch your body language.
Answer as many audit questions as you can.
Take good notes and refer to them often.

Focus on your clients program requirements.
Know and Understand Auto Failures.

Auto Failures Reference. Audit Guidance 1.5 The facility should have written and documented Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs). 1.19 The facility should complete the required registration with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in accordance with the FDA Bioterrorism Act Regulations. 2.3 The facility should take a corrective action if not meeting the critical control limits. 3.18 No observation of actual product contamination is found. 4.3 Finished product is coded appropriately to allow for full recall and traceability 6.10 The employees with symptoms of illness or open wounds should be excluded from working in processing areas or around exposed product or packaging

Auto Failures Reference. Audit Guidance 7.14 The water supply to the facility and water used for processing, steam & ice should be adequate & potable. 7.25 The facility should have a metal detection or foreign material program. 9.1 A written pest control program should be established, including a designated pest control operator (internal or an outside service), scheduled frequency of service, and a current map, updated, annually, showing the location and type of all pest control devices (internal and external). 9.8 No evidence of decomposed pests on the interior of the facility including pest control devices is found. 9.10 No evidence of insects, spiders, rodents or birds on or in any food ingredients, products or packaging materials 13.3 The facility should have written allergen control procedures in place to prevent the cross contamination of non-allergic ingredients with allergens

Any non-conformance on these 11 items, constitutes an Auto Failure!
Contact Client within 24 hours for any failures above.
For failures in Foreign Material Detection, call while at the plant for instructions.

Always discuss CARs with the QA Manager.
Audit all areas of the facility.
Make notes about the good things you find and include them in your report.
At your closing meeting, always start off with what you found that was good.

When answering questions, be concise and accurate, more is not always better.
Finish your audit report as soon as possible while it’s fresh in your mind
We ask for 5 days, but most send in 1 or 2.
Respond to TR within 48 hours.

Things to avoid…..
Complacency
Conflicts of Interest
Overly conservational
Deviations from the Audit itself

Zeb Blanton Global Key Account Manager 1-407-618-4893 [email_address]

Strategies for Improving Auditor Competency on a Global Perspective

by dedmark on Sep 19, 2011

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Strategies for Improving Auditor Competency on a Global Perspective — Presentation Transcript