Addressing today’s top risks
In order to be effective, supplier approval programs must be proactive and predictive to address evolving consumer preferences and changing business environments. With the growing complexity of the supply chain, suppliers and buyers face a ceaseless procession of food safety risks. Three of the top areas of concern are:- Increased reliance on imported items and ingredients.
- Food fraud.
- Intentional adulteration.
Maintaining compliance
A robust supplier program ensures better quality goods while building better working relationships. One key component to having an outstanding supplier program is a well-built and maintained supplier approval process, especially since supplier verification remains an integral part of the U.S. Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) preventive controls.
Learn how to build better supplier relationships and stronger processes with these nine steps.
A Sneak Preview: Step 1
A Supplier Approval Checklist Keeps the Process on Track
A standardized supplier checklist lies at the heart of an effective supplier approval program. Building this checklist keeps teams organized and efficient throughout the process. It’s used across departments to ensure responsible parties understand their roles, complete required tasks, and stay informed.
For example, Purchasing needs to examine costs and minimum order requirements for new ingredients, Quality Assurance (QA) must inspect the potential ingredients for quality, and R&D needs to review and approve test samples.
Each company should put thought into the checklist and how it’s implemented and maintained. Consider incorporating the following elements:
- Company personnel.
- Available products and services.
- Quality management.
- Food safety systems.
- Certifications.
- Past performance.
Learn more from this resource:
Read through this up-to-date ebook to discover:- Why having a strong supplier approval process is necessary.
- Elements that make up a strong supplier approval program.
- How to have one source for all supplier information.
- How to better monitor and scorecard suppliers performance.
