Whatever their size or type of product, food producers are mandated to manage the safety of their products and the well-being of their consumers through the provision of healthy and safe food choices. To demonstrate commitment towards food safety, local manufacturers are encouraged to implement the International Standard – ISO 22000 – Food Safety Management Systems.
The ISO 22000:2018 Standard helps organisations to identify and control food safety hazards while working together with other ISO Management System Standards. This standard is applicable to all primary producers, caterers, processors, manufacturers, and those who provide storage, transportation, cleaning and sanitation services in the food industry.
When unsafe food products enter the market, the entire food chain is affected, and consumers are exposed to hazards. As such, the standard helps businesses to increase traceability, efficiency and resourcefulness in large scale food chains around the world. It offers compliance with current food safety standards across different continents and documents all techniques, methods and procedures in a thoroughly systematic way. This opens the door to international markets since there is clear, dynamic communication across the entire supply chain including trade partners, suppliers, customers, regulators and other interested parties.
Further, the standard enables a comprehensive, systematic and proactive approach to identifying food safety hazards and implements effective control measures while ensuring the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) principles are followed more easily.
The Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) offers Technical Assistance and Training on the ISO 22000:2018 Standard to interested individuals and businesses. While Technical Assistance is geared towards businesses which are pursuing certification to the international standard, training is offered to anyone who is interested in understanding the Standard.
Usually, companies implementing the ISO 22000 Standard have recognised the need to continually improve confidence in their products and processes to maintain competitiveness. These companies experience fewer errors and customer complaints, more return on investments, greater awareness of quality and happier consumers, which foster improved relationships with not only the customers but suppliers.
Technical Assistance offered by the GNBS is the starting point for businesses to experience the many benefits of the ISO standard. The process ranges from six to twelve months. Once a company is committed to implementing the ISO 22000:2018 Standard, the journey towards certification readiness begins with the acquisition of the standard. The roadmap continues with the GNBS conducting a gap analysis of the company that reveals how much work needs to be completed to fulfil the requirements. The process continues with the establishment of the relevant documentation; later followed by a pre-assessment audit to ensure certification readiness.
During the programme, we provide training on understanding the requirements of the Standard, documenting and implementing it and Internal Auditing of the System.
Why choose the services of the GNBS? The GNBS is Guyana’s National Standards Body, and the custodian for standards that support quality. Therefore, who better to provide you with the technical support you need towards the implementation of standards?
Do not hesitate! For technical assistance to implement the ISO 22000:2018 requirements, engage the GNBS Business Development Department. As the National Standards Body, our team can better be able to provide you with the support you need to make your business grow.
For further information on this subject, call the GNBS on Telephone numbers: 219-0064 or 219-0065, or visit the GNBS website: www.gnbsgyorg
