Auditing, Reporting and Renewal

Steps to Close Out

SQF Food Safety Auditors review your documentation and the effective implementation of your documented policies, procedures, and specifications. Auditors collect evidence of compliance or non-compliance against all mandatory and applicable elements of the SQF Code by reviewing documentation and records, interviews with key staff, and observation of operational and cleaning activities.

Once your audit has been completed, the audit report is uploaded to the SQF Assessment Database for certification body review. If your audit report contains non-conformances, you will need to address them and upload proof of corrective actions taken for the auditor to review. Following approval of your corrective actions, the audit process is complete, and ready for the final step in the certification process.

Granting Certification and Renewing Your Certification

After the audit report and corrective actions have been reviewed, the certification body will complete the certification decision and issue a certificate for certified sites. Within ten calendar days of granting certification, the certification body will provide you with an electronic and/or hard copy of your site’s certificate.

SQF certification is valid for one year. To ensure you remain SQF certified, please remember to re-register in the SQF Assessment Database and schedule your SQF re-registration audit every year.

Take the Risk Test

Find Out How You Compare in Key Risk Areas

Risk management is essential in developing a strong food safety culture. Poor performance in your allergen management, food fraud program, and recall management are key areas that can lead to distrust of your brand and ultimately lead to a massive loss in business.

Take 5 minutes to test your knowledge. Our free test evaluates vital risk areas within your operations, providing a personalized report and actionable recommendations for your site. After taking the test, you will receive results to help identify improvement areas, recommended resources, and steps to success.

Take The Free Risk Test

Need Help?

Our Customer Service team is here to help you during each step of the certification process.