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SQF

How to Achieve Safe Quality Food (SQF) Program Certification

The SQF (Safe Quality Food) Program is a leading, global food safety and quality certification program and management system designed to meet the needs of buyers and suppliers worldwide. It provides independent certification that a supplier's food safety and quality management system complies with international and domestic food safety regulations.
Certification is reassurance for retailers and branded manufacturers of the standards met by you as a supplier. AsureQuality, as an approved Certification Body for SQF, can help you achieve this.

Advantage of Meeting SQF Standards

The SQF Standard enables suppliers to assure their customers that food has been produced, processed, prepared and handled according to the highest possible standards, at all levels of the supply chain. SQF is designed as a food safety program, but it also covers product quality, a feature that is unique to a certification program of this type. Assuring consistent quality and meeting buyer specifications are important aspects of the buyer-supplier relationship.

AsureQuality capability

AsureQuality is an approved Certification Body for the following two SQF Standards:

The SQF 1000 Code for primary producers and growers
The SQF 2000 Code for the manufacturing, processing and distribution sectors.

Both are based on the principles of HACCP.

The SQF Systems cover the following broad requirements:

Standard Requirement	SQF 1000 Code	SQF 2000 Code
Commitment	Yes	Yes
Document control and records	Yes	Yes
Specification	Yes
Specification and product development		Yes
Attaining food safety (and quality)	Yes	Yes
Verification	Yes	Yes
Product identification, trace and recall	Yes
Product identification, trace, withdrawal and recall		Yes
Site security	Yes	Yes

Steps to gaining SQF Certification

Step 1

Contact AsureQuality to seek more information about becoming certified to the SQF program, the logistics of auditing your company, other certification requirements and pricing.

Step 2

To get started, you will first need to register your company in the
SQF Quickfire E-Audit database. Registration will allow you to:

Request information and pricing from a licensed Certification Body
Select and deselect a Certification Body to perform your audit
Manage your audit corrective actions
Make your audit results available to your customers
Market your facility as an SQF certified company

Note: Royalty fees will need to be paid directly to SQF through the SQF Quickfire web site.

Step 3

Choose your level of Certification

Level 1: Food Safety Fundamentals
Level 2: Certified HACCP Food Safety Plan
Level 3: Comprehensive Food Safety and Quality Management Systems

Most retail operations currently require their suppliers to be certified to Level 3. If you are in doubt please contact your customers for advice.

Step 4

Designate an Internal SQF Practitioner. (Or hire an SQF Consultant, see Step 5 below).
In order to become SQF certified you are required to designate one of your employees as an SQF Practitioner to implement and maintain your SQF system. The SQF Practitioner must meet the following requirements:

Be a full time employee and hold a position of responsibility in relation to the management of your SQF system.
Have completed a HACCP training course and be able to implement and maintain HACCP based food safety plans.
Have an understanding of the SQF Code(s) and the requirements to implement and maintain SQF systems.
Note: Specific training in Implementing SQF Systems is required, either by attending a traditional 2-day training course , or by using the SQF Online Training Program and Online exam.

Online Training: Implementing SQF 2000 Systems Online exam
Implementing SQF 1000 Systems

Step 5

Hire an SQF Consultant (Optional instead of an internal SQF Practitioner).

Step 6

Identify training needs (See STEP 4 above).

Step 7

Develop, document and implement your system.

Step 8

Select your chosen Certification Body on the SQF Quickfire Database.

Step 9

Schedule an SQF audit.

Step 10

On-site audit. An SQF registered AsureQuality auditor will assess your systems against the relevant SQF Code.

Step 11

Corrective actions can be up-loaded directly into the SQF QuickFire database for close-out by the auditor.

Step 12

Once all non-compliances have been addressed, and other administrative requirements have been met, you will be certified to the required SQF standard.

SQF Website

Suppliers page on SQF Website

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