The Agents and Brokers BRCGS standard has changed from V2 to V3.

The new version was issued on 1^st November 2021 and has an auditing start date of 1^st April 2022.

The essence of GFSI based accreditation schemes is that they slowly evolve to meet industry changes and new challenges (both legal and food safety). The aim is that all standards have common themes and a commonality of approach and the reality is that where the BRCGS Food Standard goes the other standards to a large degree follow.

The new V3 of The Agents and Brokers BRCGS standard is a subtle upgrade and includes a re-alignment with clauses in both the Food Standard and the Storage and Distribution standard.

With all such changes your V2 compliant Quality Manual will be out-of-date and not compliant with a V3 audit.

Please do not be caught out with these changes.

If you are a V2 accredited business get in touch with AFQS Ltd today to help you update your systems.

If you are looking at Agents and Brokers accreditation for the first-time get in touch with AFQS Ltd to give you a free quotation to take you through the process.

Call +44(0)1782510800 or e-mail afqsl@btinternet.com

Agents and Brokers Accreditation Standard V2

Background to Global Standard for Agents and Brokers standard

Food processing facilities have had BRCGS Global for Food Safety as an accreditation standard for a long time, (indeed we are now up to Version 8).

Storage and distribution hubs have had BRCGS Storage & Distribution accreditation standards for a number of years as well and we are now up to version 4.

Packaging suppliers have the packaging and packaging materials accreditation standard to attain.

There has obviously been a gap in the food & packaging supply chain that is covered by Agents & Food Brokers.

The Global Standard for Agents and Brokers was an accreditation standard aiming to fill an obvious gap in the supply chain. This Global Standard for Agents and Brokers has been developed to provide a framework to manage product safety, quality and legality for businesses in the food and food packaging industries which buy, sell or facilitate the trade of products but do not process anything directly. As said before these companies play an essential role in the movement and trade of products and provide the final critical linkage in the food supply chain.

It is an obvious thing to say that Agents and Brokers can have a major influence on product safety and quality standards at their suppliers and can have a direct say in an effective chain of traceability. Any Agent and Broker whose activities include the importing of goods must ensure that any specific legal obligations with regard to the products which they import must maintain records which may later be requested by authorities or customers.

The Global Standard for Agents and Brokers offers such bodies the means to show off both their food safety & legislative excellence.

Scope of the Global Standard for Agents and Brokers

The Global Standard for Agents and Brokers (V1 and V2) details the requirements for companies in the food and/or food packaging supply chain that provide services for the purchase, importation or distribution of products.

The scope of certification shall cover all applicable operations at the company offices that are to be certificated.

The Global Standard for Agents and Brokers has a scope that is limited to product safety, quality, and legality.

The accreditation standard lays out in detail the requirements for the systems of operation and services to ensure compliance is met.

The Global Standard for Agents and Brokers is specific to the above requirements and does not cover other activities such as environmental, ethical or financial arrangements within the business.

The Global Standard for Agents and Brokers is suitable for use by companies offering the services listed below:

• Brokers: these are companies that purchase or ‘take title to’ products for resale to other companies but do not sell directly to the end-user.
• Agents or non-manufacturing service providers: companies that are any in-between trading organisation who at no time own or take title to the goods.
• Importers/exporters: businesses that facilitate the movement of products. Importers and exporters may also be agents and/or brokers.

The Global Standard for Agents and Brokers has a scope which covers certification for the following categories of products:

• Food products, including raw materials, processed foods, and fruit and vegetables
• Food packaging materials – primary, secondary and tertiary materials, and raw  materials for the manufacture of packaging materials
• Pet foods for domestic animals.
• The Global Standard for Agents and Brokers shall not apply to:
• Consumer products 
• Livestock

Why is the Global Standard for Agents and Brokers relevant to you?

All processors, retailers & a growing number of end usurers/consumers want to have complete confidence in the supply chain of any product supplied. The Global Standard for Agents and Brokers completes the safety & legality chain of supply & anyone attaining this will be able to offer assurance to both customer and end consumer for product integrity, safety, and legality.

More and more retailers, processors or trade outlets will be requiring the Global Standard for Agents and Brokers as a prerequisite of supply.

So if you want to be ahead of the game don’t delay as you know your competitors won’t be!!!

AFQS Ltd. and the Global Standard for Agents and Brokers standard V3

AFQS Ltd. staff are well-known and respected installers of BRCGS Global Standard for Food Safety, BRCGS Global Standard for Storage and Distribution and BRCGS Global Standard for Packaging and Packaging Materials.

AFQS Ltd. staff have been installing Quality Management Systems (QMS) to meet the above standards since they were first introduced & have an enviable success rate.

How do you achieve accreditation?

As a busy business, you probably won’t have time or resources to install a QMS to meet the Global Standard for Agents and Brokers accreditation standard.

AFQS Ltd will, through our team of skilled technical consultants:

• Do the system installation work for you at a pace that you are comfortable with but with an end dead-line in mind
• Undertake supplier assessments
• HACCP review & risk assessments
• Book the audit for you
• Attend audit (as required)
• Help close out subsequent non-compliances raised at audit

For Agents and Brokers who already have a QMS in-place for Version 1, we can undertake GAP analysis and fill in relevant gaps to meet Global Standard for Agents and Brokers Standard Version 2.

How long will installation and accreditation take?

This is really up to you!!!

Typically we recommend a 3 to 6-month installation and accreditation cycle, (you have to have a minimum 3 months worth’s of records for the auditor to call on).

We can tailor an installation and accreditation to your needs.

Remember the more you commit to this the better & quicker your accreditation.

Any queries or Concerns Please call us on +44 01782 510800 

or use our contact form or  email info@afqsl.com