What is a BRC
Until December 1999, companies wishing to assess their suppliers safety controls for due diligence purposes would be obliged to carry out audits themselves or arrange for third party auditing to take place. The cost of this would be borne either directly by the purchaser or by the supplier, who would usually have to pass this cost back to the purchaser.
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) system supported by most major retailers was set up in conjunction with the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) to change the way that supplier assessment takes place.
Suppliers can now choose one of several UKAS accredited inspection bodies to carry out an audit. The audit results in the supplier receiving a Grade A, B or C Level Certificate, or a report detailing works that must be carried out for the company to reach these certification levels. This system means that there is less repetition of audits of suppliers and a common recognised standard is been achieved.
This is not where supplier assessment ends. The audits may identify deficiencies which require attention or approval may only apply to one site or a certain range of products. Management of the data is an important part of any due diligence defence for a conscientious food buyer.
