Home Certification ISO 22000
FOOD SAFETY
ISO 22000 certification
A food safety management system connects food-related operations with hazard controls, communication and evaluation. Describe your role in the food chain, product groups, sites and outsourced activities so the proposed assessment reflects the way food is handled.
AT A GLANCE
STANDARD REFERENCE
ISO 22000:2018
Food Safety Management System
ASSESSMENT SUBJECT
Your management system
Certification applies to the agreed organizational scope.
Your application identifies the edition, activities and sites to be assessed.
UNDERSTAND THE STANDARD
What is ISO 22000 certification?
ISO 22000 addresses food safety management systems for organizations in the food chain. Certification concerns the management system and the activities within its scope. It is not a claim that every product has been individually tested or that a separate food safety scheme has also been awarded.
Describe the organization’s actual role in the food chain before selecting a scope. Manufacturing, storage, transport, catering and other activities involve different processes and interfaces. The relevant hazards, prerequisite arrangements and communication needs should reflect those activities rather than a generic food-business template.
START WITH THE BOUNDARY
Make the scope clear.
Identify products or product groups, processes, sites, storage conditions and outsourced services that affect the intended scope. Explain seasonal operations and changes in product or process. The certificate wording should not imply coverage of activities that have not been assessed.
FROM INTENT TO EVIDENCE
Show how your system works.
These are examples of relevant information, not a universal list of mandatory documents. The evidence depends on your activities and applicable requirements.
01
A description of the food-chain role and relevant processes.
02
Hazard-related assessment and the controls used by the organization.
03
Traceability and communication arrangements, with evidence where applicable.
04
Monitoring, response to deviations, verification activities and management evaluation.
A PRACTICAL EXAMPLE
Put the scope into context.
A food distributor using third-party refrigerated transport should explain the boundaries between storage and transport responsibilities. It may need to show how instructions, exceptions and records are communicated across that interface. This is an application-planning example, not a prescribed control list for every food business.
Use this example to prepare your own scope and evidence.
HOW CERTIFICATION WORKS
A clear route from enquiry to decision.
01
Scope & application
Describe the activities, sites and standard you want assessed.
02
Assessment planning
Agree arrangements based on the application and programme.
03
Audit & response
Demonstrate the system and address findings with evidence.
04
Decision & review
Certification follows a decision, with continuing assessment as applicable.
An application or completed audit does not guarantee certification.
EDITION & APPLICATION
Confirm the right basis for assessment.
The planning reference is ISO 22000:2018. Applicable amendments, transition arrangements and the edition for your application must be confirmed before assessment is agreed.
Check the official ISO publication information. Use the official publication record to check the edition and related amendments.
CONNECTED MANAGEMENT NEEDS
Considering several standards?
Shared processes can support a coordinated system. Explain the common boundaries and the differences.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
ISO 22000: frequently asked questions
Clear answers before you take the next step.
Is ISO 22000 certification automatically FSSC 22000 certification?
No. Do not use the names interchangeably. If a customer specifies FSSC 22000 or another scheme, establish the exact acceptance requirement and the scope of the proposed certification before applying.
Which food-chain activities should an application describe?
Identify the products or services, processes, sites and relevant food-chain interfaces. Include outsourced processing, storage or transport where it affects the proposed scope.
Does ISO 22000 certify every individual food product?
Management system certification concerns the organization’s system within a defined scope. It should not be described as independent approval of every product or batch.
Can ISO 22000 be assessed with other standards?
Other systems may share responsibilities or processes with ISO 22000, but each retains its own requirements. Explain the intended standards, sites and boundaries when discussing an integrated assessment.
What affects the cost and timing of ISO 22000 certification?
The scope, activities, personnel, locations and applicable programme determine the proposed assessment work. Readiness and responses to findings also affect timing. Request a quotation based on your actual organization.
START WITH YOUR ORGANIZATION
Discuss ISO 22000 with EQRM.
Tell us your activities, locations and ISO 22000 requirements. We’ll review availability and the scope of the proposed engagement.