Five Strategies for Coping with Unannounced Audits

Five Strategies for Coping with unannounced Audits
Jim Flynn / Ben Taylor – 7th November 2013

All rights reserved worldwide. Copyright © 2013 Gael Ltd.

Agenda
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Introduction
Background to Unannounced Audits
Five Strategies
Key Considerations
Summary and What’s Next
Q&A

About Gael Ltd
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Glasgow based solutions Co.
100 Staff
Est. 21 yrs
2500 customers in 70 Countries
Roots in Quality Management
250+ Food, Drink & Packaging
Customers
BRC Business Services Partner
Goal – To improve quality and food
safety in the UK food sector through
smart tools and relevant expertise

Some Customers


Background
ASDA Supplier Conference Announcement
26th June 2013

“All manufacturers of ASDA Brand Food
Products must have their BRC audits
undertaken as BRC “Unannounced
Option 1.”


Background
Why?
To maintain it’s position as:
“Britain's Most Trusted Retailer”


Trigger - 1
The Horsemeat Scandal and It’s Cost

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11% Drop In chilled ready meals sales
19% Drop in frozen ready meals sales
21% Drop in chilled burger sales
31% Drop in frozen burger sales


Trigger - 2
Prof. Chris Elliot’s FSA Britain Supply Chain Review

• Quality and Safety the focus
• Shared Challenge:
– “Prove to the public that they
can Trust the Systems ‘that put
food on their plates.’”

A focus on Operational Quality and Food Safety Systems is Inevitable

Trigger - 3
Good Marketing and PR = Competitive Advantage

Capitalising on the Misfortune of its Biggest Rivals

Underlying Issue
Maintaining ‘Britain's Most Trusted’ Status

Ultimately ASDA are Spot On. TRUST = LOYAL CUSTOMERS.

Details of Unannounced Audits
BRC Unannounced Audit Programme Details

• Can Occur 3-12 mths into
Certification Period
• 15 Blocked Days Allowed
• Extended to Grade C Plants
• Must be On Shop Floor within 30
mins of arrival
• Refusal Not an Option

No Pressure Then!

Advantages of Unannounced Audits
Operational
Reality

Reduce
Industry
Issues

Drives
Change

Reduce
Third
Party
Audits

Increase
Standards

All Good Motives.

Problems of Unannounced Audits
Causes
Disruption

Loss of
Contracts

Risk of
Failure

Audit
Clashes

Staff
Resource

All Serious Issues.

Five Strategies To Employ
A Range of Actions Will Be Required and it Will Need Investment
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Getting Your House in Order
Spreading The Load & Risk
‘Ninja’ Audit Network
Abolish The Quality Department
Integrate For Success

Let’s Look in Detail at Each

Getting Your House In Order
Suggested Action Plan:
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Analyse ‘Normal’ Performance
Develop a Business Case
Senior Management Engagement
Develop an Action Plan
Train Staff
Measure Performance

Difficult To Do Without The Correct Information

Spreading The Load & Risk
• Get Away from Command &Control
– Senior Champion
– Coordinators Throughout the
Business
• Delegate Responsibility / Accountability
• Drive Empowerment Culture
• Measure Performance

Getting Others Involved Reduces Your Risk and Increases Success

‘Ninja’ Audit Network
• Practice Makes Perfect
• Train Your Internal Auditors
• Get Outside Help
– Use Other Departments / Sites
– Use Other Companies
• Audit Against The Standard
• Implement Robust CAPA Programme
• Drive Accountability
• Measure Performance
Short, Sharp ‘Flash Audits’ Can Help Improve Performance

Abolish The Quality Department
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Stop Being a Quality Hero
Eliminate The Silo Mentality
Increase Accountability
Make Them ‘run it’
Empower for Engagement
Reduce Risk of Disruption
Drive Cross Business Collaboration
Effective Workflow Required

Relieves Pressure, Risk and Can Deliver Better Results

Integrate For Success
• One Version of The Truth
• One Way to
– Manage Standards
– Manage Actions
– Escalate and Alerts
– Monitor Training
– Monitor Suppliers
– Manage Customers
– Measure Performance
Getting Ready For Unannounced Audits Requires a Robust System

Core Concept
BRC Global Standards is An Integrated Framework:

Plan, Do, check Act must be Applied to All Disciplines to drive Operational Safety and Quality

What This Means
• Plan

• Do
- Documents
- Policies

- Adoption

- Procedures

- Courses

- Plans

- Records

- Information

- Evaluations

- Corrective Actions

- Audit / Review

- Preventive Actions

- Assessment

- Non conformances

- Monitoring

- Root Cause Analysis

- Maintenance

- Learning/Improving

• Act

- Training

- Calibration

• Check

Success Requires an Integrated and Iterative Approach to All Operations

CA/PA Workflow Automation is Key
Improve

Plan

Implement

Do
Approve

• Documents
• Procedures
• Training
• Adoption

• Audit
Check • Assessment

Specify

Act

• Preventive Action
• Corrective Action

Analyse
CA/PA Processes are NOT THE END but the START or a NEW IMPROVEMENT CYCLE

It’s About Improvement
Change

Waste / Harm

Loss of
Control

Standards

Improvement is about the Management Process and How Well it’s Executed and Monitored!

It’s About Commitment
Strategy
Time

Money

Tools

Product Safety
& Quality

Environment

Culture

Time, Money and Tools are Directly Related to Culture and Environment and Product Safety

It’s About Engagement
Leadership
Time

Strategic Plan

Operational Plan

• Planning
• Review
• Ownership
• Engagement

Money

• Resources
• Equipment
• Information

Tools

• Technology
• Software
• Training

Environment

• Proactive
• Reporting
• Sharing
• Learning

Culture

• Teamwork
• Collaboration
• Improvement

Senior Management Commitment Requires Major Engagement

It’s About Embedding
Managing Director / CEO
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Purchasing
Director

Production
Director

Manager

Manager

Manager

Supervisor

Supervisor


Quality
Director

Technical
Director
Manager

Q-Pulse - One System, One Approach

Embedded Food Safety and Quality Management

What Q-Pulse Will Deliver
Summary
Integrated Whole of Business Approach

Embedding Key Processes in Business

Integration of Operational Processes

Drive Efficiency and Effectiveness

Drive Success Through Engagement


Q&A
Contact Us For a Free Consultation or Demo
www.GaelQuality.com

T: 01355 593400
E: info@gaelquality.com
Join us on our LinkedIn ‘Food Safety Information Exchange’

Linkedin.com/company/gael-ltd

@GaelQuality

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