FSSC 22000

FSSC 22000 certification is managed by a protocol published by the FSSC Foundation, which defines the various requirements applicable to certified companies, certification bodies and accreditation services. This protocol has just been upgraded to version 6 to bring it into line with the requirements of the GFSI. (Global Food Safety Initiative). FSSC certification is still based on ISO 22000 and the Programme standard required for the sector of activity. (e.g. ISO TS 22002-1, food manufacturing).

The following new features have been integrated into the new FSSC additional requirements:

• Food safety and quality culture
• Quality control
• Facilities management (hygienic concept)
• Food loss and waste
• Communication requirements
• The existing additional requirements have been completed on certain points.

Protocol version 6 is applicable from April 1, 2024, i.e. the new requirements will be audited from April 1, but their implementation must start from the release of the new protocol.

For each organization certified today, a version 6 audit must be carried out by March 31, 2025 at the latest. The current version 5.1 certificate remains valid until a new V6 certificate is issued, but no later than May 31, 2025.

If the audit in 2024 is a surveillance audit (year 1 or 2), no (re-)certification is required, but you only need to carry out the surveillance audit on the dates agreed with your auditor. According to the new protocol, the duration of the audit will be increased from 4 to 8 hours to audit the new requirements.

 This audit is called an "upgrade audit" and a new contract will be sent to you. After this audit, if the certification is maintained, ProCert will issue a new FSSC certificate V6 with the same expiration dates as your current certificate version 5.1.

Unannounced audits with an audit window that includes April 1, 2024, the following rules apply: Audit windows are set either from January 1, 2024 to March 31, 2024 (audit V 5.1) or thereafter from April 1 with an audit V 6.

Protocol 6, like 5.1, also requires at least one of the surveillance audits to be unannounced. The company may decide that both surveillance audits should be unannounced.

The V6 upgrade audit can be carried out unannounced. 

The auditor may consider non-conformities still outstanding as minor or major, depending on the causes. We recommend that you close them within 6 months of the audit.

Yes, FSSC 22000 version 6 audits can be combined as usual, while respecting the specifications and requirements of the FSSC protocol. So these ISO-type audits will also be conducted "unannounced", once every 3 years, or they will have to be conducted separately. This question will be clarified with you when a new contract is signed.

FSSC surveillance audits can be combined with an IFS and/or BRCGS audit, but (re)certification audits will always be announced and therefore cannot be combined with an unannounced audit.   Here's an example of a certification cycle:

• 2018: Two different audits; One FSSC (re)certification audit announced and another IFS and/or BRCGS audit not announced.
• 2019 and 2020, only one audit per year, combined FSSC/IFS BRCGS unannounced.

The head office, which manages central functions or processes, will have to be audited according to version V6, before the production sites.

Please do not hesitate to contact your contact person for further details.