BRCGS Global Standard for Agents and Brokers (Issue 4)

Developed to meet the needs of the food industry, this standard covers brokers, agents, importers and exporters. It has five core requirements:

  • senior management commitment
  • hazard and risk assessment
  • product safety and quality management system
  • supplier and subcontracted service management
  • personnel

Specific categories of products are covered for food products, food packing materials and pet foods.

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Why choose the BRCGS agents and brokers standard?

Benefits

  • Unique to this industry and is globally recognized through the BRCGS brand
  • Product safety and quality with a specific traceability, product security and food defence focus
  • Reduced audit burden (BRCGS certification is recognized by many retailers around the world, so a BRCGS-certified system may meet the needs of many of your customers)
  • Product safety and quality focussed
  • Increased customer confidence, opening new market opportunities
  • Clearly defined risk-based requirements based on due diligence requirements  

Who should use BRCGS Agents and Brokers?

The standard was created to provide confidence in organizations involved in the sourcing and trading of food products, food packing materials and pet foods. This includes:

  • Brokers that purchase or ‘take title to’ products for resale to manufacturers, other brokers, retailers or food service companies, but not directly to the consumer.
  • Agents or non-manufacturing service providers that trade between a manufacturer or broker and their customer but do not at any point own or take title to the goods. This includes companies that provide services to facilitate the safe and legal trade of products.
  • Importers/exporters who facilitate the movement of products across national boundaries, satisfying legal and customs requirements. Importers and exporters may also be agents and/or brokers.

The journey to certification

Certification to the BRCGS Global Standard for Agents and Brokers can deliver real benefits to your organization. From an initial introduction to the standard through to certification, no matter how far along you are, BSI can support your journey. Want to know more about the requirements of the standard, the steps to certification or how BSI is here to help?  

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Why BSI?

The food industry impacts every person on the planet. Though what the world’s population may eat may differ depending on the geography, wealth, age, gender and availability of goods, no other sector plays such a vital role in all of our day-today lives and culture. Economically, food represents 10% of global GDP (valued at US$48 trillion by the World Bank).

But the food sector also faces significant challenges. Each year, food-borne illness makes one in ten people ill and is the cause of death for millions around the world. Population growth projections and an increasing middle class suggest that the demand for food will increase 70% by 2050. And, consumers are increasingly conscious about what goes into their food, how it’s made, its impact on ecosystems and where it comes from.

BSI believes the world deserves food that is safe, sustainable and socially responsible. We support the food sector by developing and publishing standards of best practice, supply chain solutions as well as training and certification to not only the most popular food safety standards, but other business improvement standards that work together to make organizations more resilient.

Working in 193 countries, we pride ourselves on the expertise, integrity and professionalism of our people. Our mission is to help our 94,000 clients, ranging from high-profile global brands to small local companies, survive and prosper in today’s world.