Dear SQF Stakeholder,
During these extraordinary times, SQFI has strived to meet the needs of our clients granting over 600 certificate extensions to date. I’d like to reiterate that those extensions are for “up to 6 months”. This is important to understand for all our stakeholders. If all 600+ facilities take the full six-month extension, Certification Bodies will have the extended certificates to audit plus all their regular audits to schedule. This could certainly create a problem for auditors, CBs and you. I suggest that you stay in touch with your CB, and when it is feasible within the six-month window work with your CB to schedule your audit.
Also, I’ve become aware that individual sites are not registering appropriately. Although we are extending certificates due to extenuating circumstances at the current time, your registration requirements remain consistent. Your site’s registration date is tied to your original re-certification audit date and is not based on the extended re-certification audit date. If your registration is due any time during the six-month extension you are required to register at that time and not wait. Hopefully, next year we will all be able to put this unprecedented event behind us and safely conduct our business normally, until that time please stay safe.
Best regards,
Robert Garfield
Senior Vice President and Chief Food Safety Assessment Officer
