Supplier Auditing and Management

This one-day workshop educates attendees on the performance of supplier audits and the principles of Purchasing and Supplier Management best practices. With the advent of several different FSMA compliance dates, many companies now need to audit their suppliers. The need for supplier audits may arise because the suppliers are not voluntarily audited to GFSI-approved food safety management schemes (or CPOs), or because the supplier is responsible for controlling a SAHCODHA* hazard. The supplier approval requirements of the Preventive Controls regulation (21 CFR 117 Subpart G) require an annual on-site audit if SAHCODHA hazard (s) are being managed by the supplier; the challenge is to effectively perform this function without paying a prohibitive cost to use a “qualified auditor”. Upon completion of this workshop, participants will receive a certificate that states they have attended training in the principles of performing supplier audits, with a focus on preparation for FSMA Preventive Controls audits (21 CFR 117 and 507). This is training in the auditing function, which is a one way to become a “qualified auditor” under FSMA.

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The first step in performing an audit is to determine the standard to which the auditee’s compliance will be evaluated. This workshop will begin with a discussion on how to determine which food safety regulations and requirements apply to the supplier, and then some tips for communication so the supplier does not feel they are being unfairly evaluated. We continue with a discussion of process auditing, so the auditees feel comfortable auditing any type of process. We conclude with an example audit with the topic chosen by the teacher to best apply the skills needed by the attendees of that workshop. No two workshops are ever the same, as they are always adjusted based on the attendee list and the needs communicated to the teacher at the beginning of the day.