When pursuing International Food Standard certification, understanding the service protocol is essential for food manufacturing companies seeking to demonstrate their commitment to quality and safety. The IFS Issue 5 Service Protocol establishes a systematic framework that guides organizations through the certification journey, from selecting the right certification body to managing potential appeals. This protocol ensures consistency, transparency, and accountability throughout the audit process.
Table of Contents
Selecting a certification body
The first step in the IFS certification journey involves choosing an accredited certification body that has a valid contract with IFS Management GmbH and is accredited to ISO/IEC 17065:2012. Organizations can search for approved certification bodies directly through the IFS database, where over 83 certification bodies operate globally with approximately 1,450 qualified auditors.
Before the audit begins, companies must establish a formal contract with their chosen certification body. This contract should clearly define the audit scope, including all products, processes, and locations to be assessed. The company must provide detailed information about their operations, including product types, processing methods, exported products with destination countries, and any history of previous certifications. This upfront transparency allows the certification body to assign auditors with appropriate product and technology scope qualifications.
Understanding audit notification and preparation
The notification process differs significantly depending on whether the audit will be announced or unannounced. For announced audits, the audit date is scheduled at least eight weeks before the audit due date and no later than two weeks after. The certification body must register the first audit day in the IFS Database at least 14 calendar days before the audit begins.
For unannounced audits, which must occur at least once every third audit cycle, companies receive notification about the audit time window rather than a specific date. This window extends from 16 weeks before the audit due date to two weeks after. Companies can specify a blackout period of up to 10 working days when they’re unavailable, though this must be communicated at least four weeks before the time window begins.
Preparation is crucial for audit success. Companies should conduct internal audits, ensure all documentation is current and accessible, verify that HACCP plans are comprehensive, and prepare staff for potential interviews. The audit duration, calculated using the mandatory IFS Calculation Tool, considers factors like total employee count, number of product scopes, and processing steps involved.
The audit scope and flow
The audit scope must encompass all activities at the site, including all production lines and products manufactured. Certification is always site-specific, meaning one legal entity at one address receives one certificate. The scope description must be clear and detailed, specifying product types, packaging materials used, and characteristic processes that differentiate products from others.
The IFS Food audit follows a structured product and process approach. This includes product sampling at the beginning of the audit, an overall on-site evaluation where at least 50% of audit time is spent in production areas, and comprehensive documentation review. The auditor examines critical control points, observes employee practices, inspects hygiene conditions, and verifies that food safety management systems function effectively in practice.
Compliance levels and scoring system
The IFS scoring system evaluates each requirement on a scale that reflects the level of implementation. Full compliance (A rating) earns 20 points, while almost full compliance with small deviations (B rating) earns 15 points. Partial implementation (C rating) receives only 5 points, and complete non-implementation (D rating) results in negative 20 points.
Among the standard requirements, ten are designated as Knockout (KO) requirements. These address fundamental food safety topics including governance and commitment, monitoring systems for critical control points, personal hygiene, customer agreements, raw material specifications, foreign material risk mitigation, traceability, internal audits, recall procedures, and corrective actions. KO requirements can only receive A, B, C, or D scores, and a D rating on any KO requirement results in automatic audit failure regardless of the overall score.
Major non-conformities represent substantial failures that could impact food safety or legal compliance. A Major non-conformity subtracts 15% from the possible total score, while a KO non-conformity scored with D subtracts 50%. When one Major non-conformity occurs with a total score above 75%, companies can schedule a follow-up audit. However, multiple Major non-conformities or scores below 75% require a complete new initial audit.
Audit report issuance and certification decisions
Following the audit, the certification body issues a preliminary action plan within two weeks. Companies must then submit completed corrective actions with evidence of implementation within four weeks. The final audit report and certificate should be uploaded to the IFS Database between six and eight weeks from the last audit day.
Certification at Higher Level requires a score of 95% or above with no Major or KO non-conformities. Foundation Level certification requires scores between 75% and 95%, also with no Major or KO non-conformities. The certificate remains valid for 12 months, with recertification audits scheduled annually to maintain continuous compliance.
Audit frequency and certification cycle
IFS maintains an annual certification cycle, requiring companies to undergo a full audit every year. The recertification audit must occur within a specific time window calculated from the initial audit date. For announced audits, this window extends from eight weeks before to two weeks after the audit due date. Missing this window causes a break in certification, requiring a new initial audit to restart the certification process.
Companies that successfully complete unannounced audits receive IFS Star Status, visible on their certificate and in the database. This status demonstrates their commitment to maintaining consistent standards without advance preparation time.
The appeal process
When companies disagree with audit findings or certification decisions, they have the right to file an appeal. The appeal process, managed by the certification body, must be handled by personnel who were not involved in the original audit or certification decision. Appeals should be submitted in writing, clearly stating the grounds for disagreement and providing supporting documentation.
Certification bodies typically acknowledge appeals within five working days and aim to resolve them within a defined timeframe, often 60 to 90 days. If the company remains unsatisfied with the certification body’s response, they may escalate the matter to the accreditation body. The entire process maintains strict confidentiality and ensures no discriminatory actions against appellants.
Additionally, the IFS Integrity Program accepts complaints from any interested parties, including retailers and whistle-blowers. Complaints submitted through the IFS complaint management system undergo neutral evaluation by IFS staff, who may initiate integrity on-site checks or witness audits to investigate concerns thoroughly.
What do you think? How might your organization benefit from implementing a structured approach to IFS certification preparation? What steps could you take today to ensure your facility maintains the consistent standards required for unannounced audits?
References
- https://www.ifs-certification.com/en/certification-bodies
- https://www.ifs-certification.com/en/?view=article&id=113:certificatin-bodies
- https://goaudits.com/blog/ifs-audits/
- https://www.ifs-certification.com/images/ifs_documents/IFS_Food_v8_standard_EN.pdf
- https://www.foodsafety-experts.com/knock-out-ko-criteria-ifs-food-version-8/
- https://www.ifs-certification.com/en
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