Page 16 - Getting Started

Certification Process

It is important to note that the number of audit days
on the quote is determined before the actual audit
occurs. A change to the number of audit days may
be required due to changes that happen within the
company (i.e., increase/decrease in employee
count or number of locations, HACCP Plans, risks,
etc.) after the quote is accepted. Once an
agreement is reached and an application and
contract are signed and accepted, the certification
body will schedule the first audit. Some schemes
require/utilize an outside database for the audit
process. A certification body will provide information
regarding these requirements and how to get set
up.

The certification process is broken down into
different stages.

Stages include:
• Practice (or Pre) Assessment (Optional): Just
as the name implies, it is an unofficial audit that
gives the company an opportunity to better
understand the auditing process, identify gaps
and prepare for the official certification audit.

• Certification Audit: An auditor(s) performs an in-
depth and objective certification audit. The

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