FSSC 22000 Certification: Food Safety Management System

• Obtain the standard:

Get a licensed copy of the relevant standard and familiarise yourself with the requirements to decide whether certification or registration to this standard is appropriate for your organisation.

• Review available literature and apply digital tools

Explore available literature, guidance from the standard owners (e.g. ISO/TS 9002 for ISO 9001, ISO 14004 for ISO 14001) and digital sources and tools that can support implementation. As a DNV customer, you also get access to tailored tools that can help you.

• Assemble a team and define strategy:

Implementing a management system should be a strategic decision for the entire organisation. Senior management must be engaged in the decision, committed to it, and involved in shaping the system. They decide the business strategy the management system should support. In addition, you need a dedicated team to develop and implement your management system.

• Determine competence needs:

First, your team responsible for implementing and maintaining the management system needs a thorough understanding of the chosen standards. Later, the wider organisation needs awareness training. DNV offers a variety of public and in-house courses worldwide that meet competence development needs at all levels of your organisation.

• Review consultant options:

Independent consultants can advise on a workable, realistic and cost-effective implementation strategy if you do not already have this competence or capacity in-house.

• Develop management system documentation: 

Decide on an appropriate platform for your documented information (e.g. software, process map- or SharePoint-based). The right platform is important to ensure effective management, communication and implementation.

• Determine, manage and document processes:

First, identify key processes – what they are, how they work and how they interact. Each process should have a clear purpose, defined responsibilities and expected outputs. The level of documented information needed depends on the organisation’s size, complexity and the importance of each process, but it must include the relevant processes and other documented information needed to deliver intended outcomes and comply with the chosen standard’s requirements.

• Implement management system:

Clear communication and appropriate competence training are essential. During the implementation phase, you will work to ensure that your organisation operates in line with defined and documented processes. Once this is achieved, you can demonstrate the system’s compliance and effectiveness.

• Select a certification body/registrar:

Selecting the right certification body or registrar can make a difference throughout your certification journey. DNV offers a trusted partnership approach, a risk-based approach and a range of free digital tools to help you manage your certification journey before, during and after the audit.

• Consider a pre-audit gap analysis:

Consider a preliminary evaluation by your certification body or registrar to identify and correct non-conformities before starting the official certification process. The purpose is to identify areas of non-conformance or weakness, allowing you to address them before the official certification process begins.

FSSC 22000 is an internationally recognised food safety management system scheme used across the food and beverage supply chain. It provides a comprehensive framework for managing food safety and quality risks, ensuring regulatory compliance, and meeting customer requirements.

The scheme is applicable to organisations throughout the food supply chain, including those involved in food and feed manufacturing, packaging production, storage and transport, as well as catering, retail and wholesale.

FSSC 22000 certification provides independent, third-party verification, by a body such as DNV, that an organisation’s food safety management system meets the requirements of the FSSC 22000 scheme.

Achieving certification demonstrates that robust processes are in place to control food safety hazards, prevent contamination, and ensure the safety of products. It also supports market access where certification to a GFSI-recognised scheme is required.

The name of the scheme, FSSC 22000, stands for Food Safety System Certification and reflects both the foundation and governance of the standard. Its purpose is to provide a comprehensive, internationally recognised food safety management system certification for organisations across the food supply chain.

A food safety management system (FSMS) is essential as it provides a structured, proactive approach to identifying, controlling and reducing food safety hazards throughout the food and beverage supply chain. An effective FSMS helps organisations prevent contamination and foodborne illness.

When properly implemented, an FSMS enhances traceability, incident response and recall readiness - critical elements for safeguarding consumers, as well as protecting brand and reputation. It also supports compliance with customer and regulatory requirements.