Supplier Audits

In a supplier audit – also called a Second Party Audit – suppliers of a particular company are inspected. There is an on-site tour of the production facilities and processing and handling of the product are assessed over all the processes of the company. This means that suppliers can be evaluated more effectively with regard to quality, product conformity, hygiene and reliability.  Nonconformities and risks are subjected to evaluation and must be eliminated by the supplier. The handling of nonconformities following the supplier audit has to be monitored and supported on an ongoing basis in order to guide the supplier towards greater product conformity.

In a detailed preliminary meeting and kick-off at your premises, we explain the prerequisites and requirements for the supplier audits on your side, and we will be happy to develop a suitable audit programme with you.  Following conclusion of the supplier audit you receive an audit report which summarises the observations of our auditors, along with a final assessment.

We offer a platform solution for the management of your supplier audits, where we can upload your checklists, audit results, audit planning and other agreed information. Of course we can also make use of your existing platforms. Just speak to us and we will provide a tailormade concept for your supplier audits, and if you so wish, a contact in the project management area.

Supplier audits should not be confused with certification audits, which can only be carried out by accredited certification providers. A supplier audit is generally carried out by the customer or by an auditor commissioned by the customer, and involves assessment of the performance capability of the supplier from the organisational and technical points of view. The requirements regarding the auditor are laid down by the customer. We recommend that the auditor has specialist knowledge in the area to be audited and also several years auditing experience. Our auditors have in-depth specialist knowledge and the necessary social and personal skills for smooth and effective auditing. The undertake intensive annual training in order to keep their qualifications absolutely up to date. Please contact us for further information.

You can decide if the audits for food safety and quality are carried out on the basis of well-known standards such IFS Food, BRCGS Food or HACCP, or if you would prefer an audit programme tailored to your specific needs. As a certification provider active on the world stage, we can have skills and competence in all the areas of food safety, quality and sustainability. We support you in every country where your suppliers are located.

As a supplier, you are audited by your customers and have to prepare for these second/party audits accordingly. As a rule you clarify the requirements for your processes and products with your customer. If you have a list of these requirements, we will be very please to help you identify suitable standards. We also support companies who would like us to perform their supplier audits to put together suitable requirements. These are based on your market and customer structure and can be specific to each organization.