IFS Broker

IFS Broker created in 2010 is a standard for checking the compliance of services of trading agencies, importers and brokers in relation to product quality and safety. IFS Broker was developed to ensure product safety and quality by bridging the gap between production and distribution. The Standard assesses traders to ensure that they have implemented appropriate measures for their suppliers to operate in accordance with product safety and quality requirements. Brokers, dealers and importers must also monitor their supplier's compliance to ensure that the products supplied meet regulatory specifications.

Important is the possibility given by the standard to carry out assessment and certification at two levels:

HIGHER LEVEL and FOUNDATION LEVEL, as this way the company is able to assess its capabilities to meet the relevant requirements.

In general, the requirements of the standard corresponding to the FOUNDATION LEVEL are considered the minimum requirements that must be met by an enterprise in the international food industry.

HIGHER LEVEL includes requirements of a higher level, while the standard also includes requirements characterized as RECOMMENDATIONS that represent "best practice" in the food sector.

The timing is 6 weeks (target) or 8 weeks (maximum time) between the inspection date and the upload of the Final Report to the IFS database/certificate issue.

The time between the date of the inspection and the issuance of the certificate is determined as follows:

• 2 weeks to write the Preliminary Report
• 4 weeks for the company to complete the Action Plan for closing the deviations from the standard.
• 2 weeks for the inspector/certifier to review the Action Plan (all corrective actions implemented) and upload the Audit Report, corrective action plan and certificate to the IFS database.