Supplier files out of control? Make approval risk-based.
What you need from a supplier depends on what they supply and how much risk it carries. I help you set up a controlled, risk-based approval process: what to ask for, how to assess it, when to re-approve, and what to do when a supplier falls short.
Your standard and your customers may set specific supplier rules. The program is built around them.
Who it's for
- Supplier files are incomplete, expired or inconsistent.
- An audit found gaps in supplier approval or monitoring.
- You import and need evidence that suppliers meet Canadian requirements.
- You're adding co-manufacturers or new ingredient suppliers.
Supplier files are incomplete, expired or inconsistent.- Request
- Assess risk (critical step)
- Approve
- Monitor
- Re-approve
| Risk | Typical evidence | Review |
|---|---|---|
| High | GFSI certificate or audit, specification, CoA per lot | Yearly |
| Medium | GFSI certificate or questionnaire, specification | Every 2 years |
| Low | Questionnaire and specification | Every 3 years |
What I can deliver
A written scope and quotation, agreed before work starts, sets which of these you need.
- Supplier risk assessment method and categories
- Approval procedure: questionnaires, certificates, specifications, and when an audit is warranted
- Approved supplier list with re-approval dates
- Supplier assessment reports
- Monitoring: certificate of analysis checks, incoming inspection, performance review
- Clean-up of existing supplier files against the new procedure
How the work runs
Understand
What you buy, from whom, and what your standard and customers require.
Assess
Each material and supplier placed in a risk category, with reasons.
Build
The procedure, the forms and an approved supplier list that holds together.
Hand over
A re-approval calendar your team can keep without a backlog.
Staff training is available for every module and record. It's scoped with any follow-up verification, so you only pay for what you need.
What's required, and what's optional
Rules, certification requirements and good practice aren't the same thing. Here's how they separate for this kind of work.
- Regulation
- Under the SFCR, licence holders who import must keep evidence that the food they import meets Canadian requirements.
- Certification schemes
- GFSI-benchmarked schemes require documented supplier approval and performance monitoring.
- Good practice
- Risk-based approval: more evidence for higher-risk materials, less paperwork for low-risk ones.
- What I do
- I design the program and can work through the backlog. Your team runs it.
Common questions
More in Suppliers, traceability and recalls.
What documents should I collect from suppliers?
It depends on the material and its risk. A packaging supplier and a supplier of a ready-to-eat ingredient shouldn't be treated the same. Categorize by risk first, then set the evidence for each category.
Do we need to audit every supplier?
Not usually. Many programs rely on certification, questionnaires and testing for most suppliers and keep audits for the highest risks. Check what your standard and your customers require.
Related solutions
- Audit readinessGap assessments, internal audits and help closing findings before and after a certification audit.Check my audit readiness
- Ongoing QA supportAgreed QA tasks on a schedule: internal audits, document upkeep, re-approvals, follow-up.Explore ongoing QA support
- SFCR licensing and PCPWhether you need an SFCR licence, help with the application, and a preventive control plan that fits.Check what applies to my business
Ready to talk about supplier approval?
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