IFS Food Standard Certification: Food Safety
Improve your ability to consistently meet customer expectations for food safety and quality while reducing costs of supply chain management.
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IFS Food Standard Certification: Food Safety
Certification of your food management system to the IFS Food Standard demonstrates your commitment to structured food safety and quality processes.
The IFS Food Standard applies to suppliers involved in all steps of food manufacturing and processing after the agricultural stage, providing a consistent basis for assessing site level food safety and quality processes.
The aim of IFS Certification is to assess whether the processing activities of a manufacturer are able to produce products that are safe, legal and in compliance with customer specifications. That is why both product safety and quality are essential components of all IFS Standards. IFS Audits are product and process focused.
The assessment checklist is aligned with the GFSI Benchmarking requirements, FSMA and EU regulations. For retailers as well as manufacturers, IFS Food Standard certification from suppliers can be a ticket-to-trade.
What is the IFS Food Standard?
The IFS Food Standard is applicable to all suppliers in the food value chain. It is specifically aimed at all stages of food processing after the agricultural (primary production) stage. This typically includes food manufacturers, companies transforming or processing food products, and/or packing loose food products, private label or branded food producers and suppliers directly delivering to retailers and brand owners.
IFS Food requirements cover food safety and quality management system and processes, the HACCP system (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) and prerequisite programs such as GMP, GLP and GHP, along with requirements that support a positive food safety culture. It also includes requirement related to governance and commitment, resource management, operational processes, measurement/analyses/improvement.
The operational controls protect product safety and quality and contributes to ensure compliance with relevant regulations. Moreover, requirements targeting traceability and fraud prevention also help protects the integrity and authenticity of the product.
The IFS Food Standard helps you achieve:
- Operational controls required of a robust food safety and quality processes
- Supplier management across the value chain
- A stronger food safety culture supported by management commitment and auditor calibrated assessments
- Recognition by retailers and manufacturers for supplier approval
- Reductions in production waste, product rework and product recall
As a GFSI benchmarked standard, the IFS Food Standard aligns with global requirements for food safety and supplier assurance. IFS food safety certification supports consistent evaluation across the supply chain and is widely accepted by retailers and brand owners.
Value of IFS Food Standard certification
Certification to by an independent third-party like DNV demonstrates that your food safety management system and quality management processes comply with the requirements of the standard. It highlights your organisation’s focus on maintaining structured, consistent and well managed food safety and quality processes.
As a result, you get:
- Clear demonstration of commitment to food safety and quality driving increased customer and consumer trust
- Ability to compete when certification is required from suppliers by manufacturers or retailers
- Reduced need for second party audits across the supply chain
- Improved performance monitoring and objective insight from external auditors to identify improvement needs
- More consistent processes through HACCP and prerequisite programs
- Reduced waste and fewer recalls due to stronger risk control
- Support for a strong food safety culture across the organization
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How to get IFS Food Standard certified
To be certified, you first need to implement a food safety management system complying with the standard’s requirements.
DNV is an independent third-party certification body approved and accredited for the IFS Food Standard. We can help you with training on the requirements of the standard, self-assessment, gap-analysis and certification.
As a DNV customer, you also get access to a suite of digital tools that can help you ensure compliance, continually improve and manage your entire certification journey with us.
Learn how to get started and be certified
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Obtain the standard:
Get a licensed copy of the relevant standard and familiarize yourself with the requirements to decide if certification/registration to this standard makes good sense for your organization.
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Review available literature and apply digital tools
Explore available literature, guidelines from the standard owners (e.g. ISO/TS 9002 for ISO 9001, ISO 14004 for ISO 14001) and digital sources and tools that can assist with implementation. Note that as a DNV customer you get access to tailored tools that can assist you.
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Assemble a team and define strategy:
To implement a management system should be a strategic decision for the entire organization. Senior management must be involved in the decision, committed 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.
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Determine competence needs:
First, your team implementing and maintaining the management system needs a thorough understanding of the chosen standards. Later on, the wider organization needs awareness training. DNV offers a variety of public and in-house courses worldwide that meets your competence training needs at all levels within your organization.
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Review consultant options:
Independent consultants can advise on a workable, realistic, and cost-effective strategy plan for implementation if you do not have this competence or capacity already.
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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.
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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 organization’s size, complexity, and the importance of each process, but must include relevant processes and other documented information needed to deliver on intended outcomes and comply with the chosen standard’s requirements.
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Implement management system:
Clear communication and necessary competence training are essential elements. During the implementation phase, you will work to ensure that your organization is working according to defined and documented processes. Once successful, you can prove system’s compliance and effectiveness.
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Select a certification body/registrar:
Selecting the right certification body/registrar can make a difference throughout your certification journey. DNV offers a trusted partnership approach, a risk-based approach and range of free digital tools that help you manage your certification journey before, during and after the audit.
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Consider a pre-audit gap analysis:
Consider a preliminary evaluation by your certification body/registrar to identify and correct nonconformities before starting the official certification process. The purpose is to identify areas of non-conformance or weaknesses, allowing you to correct these before you begin the official certification process.
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FAQ – IFS Food Safety Standard
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IFS Management GmbH stands for International Featured Standards and is a company owned by the French retail association FCD and the German retail association HDE who is responsible for a set of internationally recognised standards used to assess food safety, product quality, and supplier reliability across global supply chains. Developed in collaboration with retailers, brand owners, and industry experts, IFS standards provide a consistent framework for evaluating suppliers and ensuring that products and processes meet defined safety and quality expectations.
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The IFS Food Standard is a GFSI benchmarked standard for assessing food manufacturers and processors after the agricultural stage. The requirements include quality management processes, the HACCP system (Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Points), and detailed prerequisite programs including GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice), GLP (Good Laboratory Practice) GHP (Good Hygiene Practice).
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IFS Food certification is an independent, third party confirmation that a food manufacturer’s management system meets the requirements of the IFS Food Standard. It verifies the organization’s ability to implement compliant operational controls that the quality and safety of food products. Certification is widely accepted by manufacturers, retailers and brand owners as a ticket-to-trade and build customers and consumer trust.
IFS Food Standard training
IFS Food version 8 - Internal Auditor Training
A two-day course covering the subject of internal auditing in accordance with version 8 of the IFS Food Standard.
Discover IFS Food version 8 - Internal Auditor Training
IFS Food Standard Version 8 Training
This course is structured to cover the overall KO requirements of the IFS Food, version 8; IFS hazard analysis as well as practical examples and in depth guidelines for the certification.
Discover IFS Food Standard Version 8 Training
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Global Food Safety Initiative
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