Understanding BRCGS Packaging Materials Standards: Scope and Requirements
Navigating the complexities of the BRCGS Packaging and Packaging Materials Standard can be daunting, but ensuring compliance with the most up-to-date requirements is critical for achieving – or maintaining – your BRCGS certification. This article explores the details of the Packaging and Packaging Materials Standard, providing a clear overview of its scope and key requirements, ensuring you're equipped to achieve compliance with confidence.
What Is the BRCGS Packaging Standard?
The BRCGS Packaging and Packaging Materials Standard aims to safeguard consumers by setting unified good manufacturing practices criteria for companies producing packaging.
While the original Standard published in 2001 focused on just food packaging manufacturers, it has since been updated. The Packaging Standard now applies to all types of packaging manufacturers across all sectors, including food, hygiene-sensitive consumer products, and other consumer goods. The most recent version of the Standard, Issue 6, was published in 2019.
For more background on BRCGS, read: What Is BRCGS? Everything You Need To Know
Benefits of BRCGS Certification
Complying with the BRCGS Packaging and Packaging Materials Standard brings several benefits to your company:
Consumer Safety: Ensures the packaging does not compromise the safety of the food or other product it comes into contact with, protecting consumers from potential hazards. It ensures packaging does not pose health hazards, minimizes contamination risks, and requires the use of safe raw materials.
Regulatory Compliance: Helps manufacturers meet and exceed legal requirements for packaging materials, facilitating smoother operations across jurisdictions. BRCGS certification is voluntary, but it helps you prepare to meet the regulatory requirements of your destination market.
Market Access: Opens up new opportunities by meeting the standards recognized by retailers and manufacturers worldwide, enhancing competitiveness. Today, over 6,000 BRCGS Packaging certified sites in over 50 countries see the value of certification in opening markets.
The BRCGS Packaging Standard: Key Requirements
The BRCGS Packaging Standard encompasses a wide area of focus, ensuring a holistic approach to product safety, quality, and operational excellence. The main requirements for compliance are laid out in Part 2 of the Standard. They include:
Senior Management Commitment: Senior management must demonstrate their commitment to implementing the requirements of the Standard. This includes having a documented policy signed by the person with overall responsibility and clearly communicated to all staff.
Hazard and Risk Management: A documented hazard analysis and risk assessment (HARA) must be in place to ensure all hazards to product safety and legality are identified and appropriate controls established.
Product Safety and Quality Management: The site must have a documented product safety and quality management system to ensure appropriate controls are in place and risk is managed consistently.
Site Standards: The site should be of suitable size and construction, and must be maintained to prevent contamination and facilitate the production of safe, legal products. This includes considerations for external storage and measures to prevent contamination.
Product and Process Control: Documented procedures, work instructions, and process specifications must be in place to ensure quality assurance throughout every stage of the manufacturing process.
Personnel: All personnel performing work affecting product safety, legality, and quality must be adequately trained and supervised. This includes specific training related to product safety, quality, and legality.
Requirements for Traded Products (Goods): Traded goods are materials bought and sold as is (without processing on site). Procedures should be in place to approve the final manufacturer or packer of packaging products, guaranteeing that traded packaging meets safety, legality, and predefined product specification requirements.
The Standard acknowledges that some requirements might not apply to all sectors or operations and allows for deviations based on risk assessment, provided the auditor reviews and approves documented justification.
BRCGS Packaging and Packaging Materials Audit Requirements
Part 3 of BRCGS Packaging Standard Issue 6 outlines the audit requirements. Here is a summary of the key steps:
Audit Preparation: Companies select their preferred audit option—announced or unannounced—and conduct a self-assessment to ensure compliance with BRCGS standards. Selecting a certified body and defining the audit's scope are crucial initial steps.
Audit Planning: Companies must ensure the availability of necessary information and personnel, even for unannounced audits, and agree on the audit date and duration.
On-Site Audit Process: This involves a sequence of steps starting with an opening meeting, followed by inspection of production facilities, review of documents and traceability challenges, and culminating in a closing meeting where audit findings are discussed.
Non-Conformities and Corrective Action: Sites must address any identified non-conformities, with corrective actions to be provided within 28 days, or 90 days for initial audits, and certification bodies reviewing the evidence within 14 days thereafter.
Certification: The certification review process includes grading, reporting, and determining ongoing audit frequency. Following a successful audit and corrective actions for any non-conformities, certification is granted.
Partner with QIMA/WQS for Your BRCGS Packaging Certification
Secure your BRCGS Packaging Certification with the expertise and guidance of QIMA/WQS. Our dedicated team offers comprehensive audits, ensuring your business not only meets but exceeds the rigorous standards set by BRCGS.
Contact us to learn more about BRCGS certification or book an audit today.
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