Which standard do you actually need?
Buyers ask for certification by name and rarely explain why. Here is what each one covers, who genuinely needs it, and what getting there involves — in plain English, without the scheme jargon.
- 5 standards
- 2 GFSI-recognised
- No scheme jargon
SQF
Safe Quality Food GFSI recognisedWhat it is
A GFSI-recognised certification scheme covering food safety and quality across the whole supply chain, from primary production to distribution.
Who needs it
Manufacturers whose buyers — particularly North American retailers and foodservice groups — require a GFSI benchmark before they will place an order.
How we get you there
Gap analysis against the relevant SQF code, then building or repairing the system: procedures, risk assessments, records and training. Internal audits and a practice run before the certification body arrives, and I lead the external audit alongside your team.
ISO 22000
Food Safety Management SystemsWhat it is
The international standard for a food safety management system, combining HACCP principles with the management-system structure shared across the ISO family.
Who needs it
Organisations that want a recognised, internationally portable food safety system, or that already run ISO 9001 and want the two to sit together cleanly.
How we get you there
Map what already exists against the clauses, close the gaps, and integrate rather than duplicate — an existing ISO 9001 system usually does most of the structural work already.
FSSC 22000
Food Safety System Certification GFSI recognisedWhat it is
ISO 22000 plus sector-specific prerequisite programmes and a set of additional FSSC requirements — which is what earns it GFSI recognition where ISO 22000 alone does not.
Who needs it
Manufacturers who need GFSI recognition and prefer an ISO-based structure, and packaging manufacturers, for whom FSSC is often the scheme of choice.
How we get you there
Build on the ISO 22000 backbone, add the correct sector PRP standard, and prepare for the unannounced audit component that catches teams out.
HACCP
Hazard Analysis and Critical Control PointsWhat it is
The systematic method underneath every modern food safety scheme: identify hazards, determine the critical control points, set limits, monitor, correct, verify, and document.
Who needs it
Every food business. It is a regulatory requirement in most cases and the foundation the certification schemes above are built on.
How we get you there
A real hazard analysis rather than a borrowed template — your process, your flow diagram, your CCPs — with monitoring records your team can actually keep up with.
GMP
Good Manufacturing PracticesWhat it is
The baseline conditions and practices — facility, equipment, sanitation, personnel hygiene, pest control — that food must be produced under before any HACCP plan can be relied on.
Who needs it
Any manufacturer. Weak GMPs are the most common reason an otherwise sound food safety plan fails an audit.
How we get you there
Walk the floor, document what is actually happening, fix the physical and procedural gaps, and put verification in place so they stay fixed.
Still not sure which applies to you?
Tell us who your buyers are and what you make. That usually settles it in one call.