CSQ CERTIFICATION
The CSQ Certification Program and applicable standards were built around ISO/IEC 17067
BRCGS Certification: Audits, Training & Certification Services
BRCGS is one of the most widely recognized GFSI-benchmarked food safety certification programs in the world, accepted by major retailers, food service chains, and manufacturers across more than 130 countries.
- 22,000+ Certified Food Safety Sites
- 130+ Countries
- 70% Top 10 Global Retailers
What is BRCGS Certification?
BRCGS certification is a GFSI-benchmarked food safety program designed for food manufacturers and processors worldwide. It verifies that facilities meet the requirements of the BRCGS Global Standard for Food Safety — a comprehensive framework covering food safety management, quality systems, facility standards, and product control.
Developed in 1998 by the British Retail Consortium to standardize supplier expectations, BRCGS has grown into one of the most widely adopted food safety certification programs worldwide. Several BRCGS certification options are recognized by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), which means your certification carries weight not just domestically but with international buyers and retail chains that require GFSI-benchmarked standards.
For most food manufacturers selling to major retailers, food service distributors, or export markets, BRCGS certification is effectively a requirement, not an option.
GFSI-Benchmarked Certification
BRCGS certification is a GFSI-benchmarked food safety program designed for food manufacturers and processors worldwide.
Global Standard for Food Safety
Verifies that facilities meet the requirements of the BRCGS Global Standard for Food Safety — covering food safety management, quality systems, facility standards, and product control.
Globally Recognized & Widely Adopted
Developed in 1998 by the British Retail Consortium, BRCGS has grown into one of the most widely adopted food safety certification programs worldwide, recognized by GFSI and accepted by international buyers and retail chains.
Effectively a Market Requirement
For most food manufacturers selling to major retailers, food service distributors, or export markets, BRCGS certification is effectively a requirement, not an option.
WHO IT'S FOR
Who Needs BRCGS Certification?
BRCGS Food Safety certification is designed for any organization that manufactures or processes food products. If your facility handles raw materials, ingredients, or finished food products at any stage of the supply chain, and your customers require GFSI-benchmarked certification, BRCGS is one of the most widely accepted options available.
Food manufacturing and processing plants
Co-packers and private-label producers
Fresh produce packing and processing facilities
Bakeries, confectioneries, and snack producers
Dairy processing operations
Meat, poultry, and seafood processors
Beverage manufacturers
Pet food and animal feed producers
Facilities producing food ingredients and additives
ADVANTAGES
Benefits of BRCGS Certification
Achieving BRCGS certification delivers measurable value to food manufacturers — from opening new market access to reducing operational risk and strengthening buyer relationships.
Global Market Access
BRCGS is accepted by 70% of the top 10 global retailers and 60% of the top 10 QSR chains. Certification opens doors to major buyers who require GFSI-benchmarked standards from their suppliers.
Demonstrated Food Safety Commitment
The BRCGS grading system (AA through D) provides a transparent, performance-based measure of your food safety management. Achieving AA or AA+ signals operational excellence to buyers.
Reduced Audit Fatigue
Because BRCGS is GFSI-benchmarked, a single certification satisfies the food safety verification requirements of multiple customers simultaneously, replacing individual buyer audits.
Stronger Operational Systems
Preparing for BRCGS drives genuine improvements in HACCP rigor, traceability systems, sanitation programs, and staff training — reducing the likelihood of recalls and complaints.
Competitive Differentiation
BRCGS-certified facilities are listed in the BRCGS Directory, a global database buyers use to identify certified suppliers. Your grade and status are visible to potential customers.
Regulatory Alignment
BRCGS requirements align with and often exceed FDA FSMA Preventive Controls, USDA HACCP regulations, and other national food safety frameworks, strengthening regulatory readiness.
What Does a BRCGS Audit Cover?
A BRCGS Food Safety audit evaluates your facility against all requirements of the Global Standard for Food Safety (currently Issue 9). The audit examines food safety management systems, physical site conditions, and operational controls through document review, facility inspection, and staff interviews.
Key Audit Areas
| Audit Area | Key Focus |
|---|---|
| 1. Senior Management Commitment | Food safety policy, organizational structure, management review, food safety culture program |
| 2. Food Safety Plan (HACCP) | Codex Alimentarius-based HACCP plan, prerequisite programs, hazard analysis, CCP monitoring and verification |
| 3. Food Safety & Quality Management System | Document control, specifications, supplier approval, traceability (including mass balance), complaint handling, incident management |
| 4. Site Standards | Facility layout and product flow, building fabric, utilities, equipment design, contamination control (chemical, physical, allergen), pest management |
| 5. Product Control | Product development, allergen management, provenance and chain of custody claims, product inspection and testing |
| 6. Process Control | Control of operations, weight/volume control, equipment calibration, foreign body detection (metal detectors, x-ray) |
| 7. Personnel | Training and competency, personal hygiene, protective clothing, medical screening, staff facilities |
Grading System
Your grade is determined by the number and severity of non-conformities identified:
| Grade | Criteria (Announced Audit) | Certificate Validity |
|---|---|---|
| AA | ≤5 minor NCs, no majors or criticals | 12 months |
| A | 6–10 minor NCs, no majors or criticals | 12 months |
| B | 11–16 minors, or 1 major + ≤10 minors | 12 months |
| C | 17–24 minors, or 1 major + 11–16 minors, or 2 majors + ≤10 minors | 6 months |
| D | 25–30 minors, or 1 major + 17–24 minors, or 2 majors + 11–16 minors | 6 months |
| Uncertified | Any critical NC, or exceeding D-grade thresholds | N/A |
Non-Conformity Categories
CRITICAL
CRITICAL Fundamental failure posing immediate food safety or legal risk — results in automatic certification failure
MAJOR
MAJOR Substantial failure to meet a requirement’s “statement of intent” or raises significant doubt about product conformity
MINOR
Requirement not fully met, but product conformity is not in doubt based on objective evidence
Corrective Action Window: All non-conformities must be addressed with documented corrective action and supporting evidence within 28 calendar days of the audit.
Unannounced Audit Options
BRCGS offers an unannounced audit program that can earn enhanced AA+, A+, B+ grades. Two options are available:
- Option 1 — Full unannounced audit in a single visit
- Option 2 — Split audit: unannounced GMP inspection (Part 1) + scheduled systems review (Part 2)
Per GFSI requirements, at least one audit in every three-year certification cycle must be conducted on an unannounced basis.
How to Prepare for BRCGS Certification
Preparing for your first BRCGS certification audit typically takes 6–12 months, depending on the maturity of your existing food safety management systems.
01
Obtain the Standard and Understand the Requirements
Purchase the current BRCGS Global Standard for Food Safety (Issue 9) from the BRCGS website. Pay close attention to the “statements of intent” that open each section, auditors evaluate your systems against these statements.
02
Conduct a Gap Analysis
Assess your current systems against every clause in the standard. Identify gaps and areas where documentation needs to be developed. Consider a professional gap analysis or pre-assessment audit from Kiwa ASI for an expert, objective evaluation.
03
Develop Your Food Safety Culture Program
Issue 9 places significant emphasis on food safety culture. Develop a documented program with leadership commitment, communication plans, employee engagement, training, and measurable objectives. Auditors will evaluate whether culture is genuinely embedded in operations.
04
Build or Strengthen Your HACCP Plan
Ensure your HACCP plan follows the Codex Alimentarius seven-principle methodology. Issue 9 reinforces the need for thorough hazard analysis with scientific justification for each CCP, critical limit, and monitoring procedure.
05
Implement Site Standards and Prerequisite Programs
Address facility fabric, equipment design, pest management, sanitation, allergen controls, and foreign body prevention. Walk your facility as if you were an auditor — identify maintenance issues and cross-contamination risks.
06
Train Your Team
Every employee who affects food safety must be competent in their role and understand their food safety responsibilities. Document all training, including refresher programs, and ensure your food safety team can demonstrate competency during auditor interviews.
07
Schedule and Complete Your Certification Audit
Select an accredited certification body like Kiwa ASI and schedule your audit. Ensure documentation is current and organized. After the audit, address any non-conformities within the 28-day corrective action window.
Why Choose Kiwa ASI for BRCGS Certification?
Our experienced team brings deep industry knowledge and a commitment to helping you achieve and maintain certification with confidence.
Experience
Deep BRCGS Expertise
Kiwa ASI auditors hold specialized BRCGS qualifications and conduct audits across the full family of BRCGS standards, Food Safety, Packaging Materials, and Storage and Distribution. Our team brings real-world industry experience to every audit.
Scheduling
BRCGS-Approved Training Partner
As a BRCGS Approved Training Partner (ATP), Kiwa ASI delivers official training courses that help your team understand standard requirements, prepare for audits, and build internal audit capabilities.
Preparation
Fast, Flexible Scheduling
We understand that certification timelines drive business decisions. Kiwa ASI offers expedited audit scheduling and works with your team to find dates that minimize operational disruption while meeting your deadlines.
Support
Part of the Global Kiwa Network
As a member of Kiwa, a global TIC organization with a presence in over 35 countries, Kiwa ASI combines local U.S. expertise with the resources and credibility of an international certification body.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between BRCGS and SQF certification?
Both BRCGS and SQF are GFSI-benchmarked food safety certification schemes, meaning they are recognized as equivalent by major retailers and food companies. The key differences are structural: BRCGS uses a grading system (AA through D) that reflects the degree of compliance, while SQF uses a three-level system with numerical scoring. BRCGS is more widely adopted in Europe and among UK retailers, while SQF has strong adoption in North America. Many buyers accept either scheme, your choice may depend on your primary customer requirements.
How long does a BRCGS audit take?
A typical BRCGS Food Safety audit takes 1–3 days on-site, depending on your facility’s size, the number of production lines, product complexity, and whether additional modules are included. Your certification body will confirm the exact duration based on a pre-audit scoping questionnaire.
What happens if we receive a critical non-conformity?
A critical non-conformity results in automatic certification failure. The facility will not receive a certificate from that audit and must address the root cause before scheduling a full re-audit. Critical non-conformities are reserved for fundamental failures that pose an immediate food safety or legal compliance risk.
How much does BRCGS certification cost?
BRCGS certification costs vary based on facility size, number of employees, product complexity, and audit duration. Small single-site audits may range from a few thousand dollars, while larger multi-day audits at complex facilities will cost more. Contact Kiwa ASI at 1-800-477-0778 or info@asifood.com for a customized quote.
Can we be certified to multiple BRCGS standards?
Yes. Many organizations hold certification to more than one BRCGS standard, for example, BRCGS Food Safety for manufacturing and BRCGS Storage and Distribution for warehousing. Each requires its own audit, but Kiwa ASI can coordinate scheduling to minimize disruption.
What is the BRCGS unannounced audit program?
The BRCGS unannounced audit program allows facilities to earn enhanced grades (AA+, A+, B+) by demonstrating audit readiness at all times. Option 1 is a full unannounced audit in a single visit; Option 2 splits into an unannounced GMP inspection and a scheduled systems review. GFSI requires at least one audit in every three-year cycle to be unannounced.
Accreditation & Trust
Kiwa-ASI Food Safety conducts BRCGS certification services through Kiwa UK and Kiwa Spain, both licensed and accredited BRCGS certification bodies. This ensures your certification is recognized globally and listed in the official BRCGS Directory.
All consulting services are offered through ASI Training and Consulting, LLC. All activity is conducted separately from our accredited certification body, ASI Food Safety, LLC, in order to safeguard against any conflicts of interest.
Kiwa-ASI Food Safety conducts BRCGS certification services through Kiwa UK and Kiwa Spain, both licensed and accredited BRCGS certification bodies. This ensures your certification is recognized globally and listed in the official BRCGS Directory.
All consulting services are offered through ASI Training and Consulting, LLC. All activity is conducted separately from our accredited certification body, ASI Food Safety, LLC, in order to safeguard against any conflicts of interest.