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Packaging of goods requires a high degree of specialization and often special considerations depending on which industries are being served. The packaging sector is going through a lot of changes. Increased focus in sustainability, clients requiring new quality, environmental and risk assessments, regulatory demands and updates, and many other external factors are shaping the sector and quickly becoming the reality for many organizations.

SAI Global Assurance Services offers certification, auditing and training to help packaging organizations better meet customer demand, consistently meet industry requirements, promote sustainable material use and ensure the best possible service to customers.

Whether you are a packaging house, retailer, or a packaging materials producer, SAI Global can audit, certify and train your organization to a variety of packaging, quality and risk management standards. We can also provide customized consulting solutions for any of these topics.

Packaging StandardsTraining, Auditing and Certification Services

Standards specifically for packaging:

• IFS PACsecure

• BRC Packaging Standard (GFSI)

Food Safety standards that include a packaging component/scope:

• SQF (GFSI)

• FSSC 22000 (GFSI)

• GMA-SAFE

Other standards applicable to packaging companies:

• CoC - Chain of Custody (Forest Products)

• FSC

• SFI

• PEFC

• ISO 9001

• ISO 14001

• OHSAS 18001

• ISO 50001

IFS PACsecureIFS PACsecure was designed for managing quality and safety related to product packaging. As a member of the IFS (International Featured Standards) family, this standard provides a comprehensive quality assurance program, which in the case of IFS PACsecure is specifically designed for the packaging component of the supply chain.

The standard enables packaging manufacturers to certify that primary and secondary materials utilized in the packaging process are safe for the food industry. IFS PACsecure covers flexible and rigid plastics, as well as paper, metal and glass. The main objectives IFS certification include adherence to GFSI guidelines, reduction in cost and time for retailers and suppliers, comparability throughout the food supply chain, and establishment of common benchmarks and evaluations.

BRC/IOP PackagingThe BRC/IOP Global Standard for Packaging and Packaging Materials is designed to assist packaging manufacturers and converters to adopt good manufacturing practices and supporting quality management systems to develop and manufacture safe, legal packaging materials meeting their customers’ quality requirements. The packaging industry is divided into specific product technologies and auditors are trained to have knowledge and experience of the particular technologies in order to be registered.

The Standard recognizes two levels of hygiene risk depending on the end use of the packaging materials. For instance direct food contact is the highest level and will fall into the high hygiene risk category (GFSI benchmarked), while non-food packaging will fall into the low hygiene risk category. The requirements of the standard are itemized separately depending upon the level.

Chain of Custody (CoC)

The marketplace continues to drive demand for packaging manufactured from certified forest products. Chain of Custody (CoC) standards verify that forest products originating from a Defined Forest Area (DFA) are tracked and verified through all phases of ownership, transportation and transformation.

There are three main CoC certification options to consider: Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), and Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC).

FSSC 22000 FSSC 22000 has an extended scope from the recent publication of PAS 223, which includes packaging material: “Prerequisite programs and design requirements for food safety in the manufacture and provision of food packaging.” Developed to meet the needs of the global supply chain, FSSC 22000 delivers a GFSI benchmarked certification scheme which incorporates the requirements of the ISO standards and pre requisite programs (ISO 22000, ISO 22003, ISO/TS 22002-1 and PAS 223) for the certification of food safety management systems in the manufacture and provision of food packaging.

SQF Code Edition 7SQF requires that suppliers implement management systems that utilize the hazard analysis method, encompassing pre-requisite programs and good practices applicable to their industry sector in order to manufacture products that meet food packaging safety legislation and specified requirements. Applicable to all parts of the food packaging supply chain (from primary production through transport and storage), SQF provides a solution for oversight of supply chain, food packaging safety and quality assurance. Module 13 of the SQF Code is specifically written for packaging. The SQF scheme is widely recognized in the United States and across the Americas, is GFSI benchmarked, and is a flexible choice for implementing an oversight program for product packaging.

GMA-SAFEThe GMA-SAFE Program was created in 2001 by leading food industry quality assurance professionals and members of the Grocery Manufacturers Association. SAI Global has purchased the assessment program from GMA, and is pleased to offer this comprehensive food protection evaluation. It includes six industry specific assessments: food protection, primary packaging, aseptic, warehouse/ distribution, spice and dairy; plus a shorter but thorough SAFE Express Assessment.

The GMA-SAFE assessment process provides a comprehensive, non-scored narrative of a facility’s activities regarding food protection, quality assurance and food defense. Assessments are not biased toward any proprietary standard but rather are “outcome based”, allowing assessments to respond to the unique requirements of different cultures, regulatory bodies and consumer preference trends.

Packaging Standards

Quality, Environmental, and Health & Safety StandardsThere are a variety of general standards that are applicable to packaging organizations:

ISO 9001 is a quality management system based on core principles such as customer focus, involvement of people, process approach, and continual improvement. Many companies that have implemented a quality management system have realized cost savings through improved process effectiveness and efficiency.

ISO 14001 enables organizations to develop and implement a policy committing to prevention of pollution, compliance with environmental laws and continual improvement. Companies can reduce waste, use less energy and thus help save money and the environment.

OHSAS 18001 is designed to help organizations manage their occupational health and safety risks. This structured management systems approach enables organizations to identify hazards, assess and prioritize risks and implement appropriate protective and preventive control measures to reduce the potential for occupational injuries, illnesses and fatalities.

ISO 50001 is the international standard for Energy Management that specifies requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining and improving an energy management system.

Training and Business Improvement Services As a leading provider of certification and training, SAI Global provides improvement solutions that can help your organization improve business processes, increase efficiencies and reduce risk. With more than two dozen training courses applicable to the packaging sector, SAI Global is committed to providing customers with a full suite of training options.

Each year, over 12,000 people partner with SAI Global for their training and business improvement needs. We are committed to providing you the most up-to-date training courses available through a wide-range of learning approaches and tool-based solutions. We offer flexible options for individuals and organizations to build awareness, knowledge and skills at an individual level, and across the entire organization.

Visit www.saiglobal.com/courses for our full course offerings.

Free Packaging Resources

Trusted experts for industry insights, SAI Global offers the following free webinars for packaging:

• IFS PACsecure Packaging Certification

• BRC Global Standard for Packaging (GFSI Benchmarked)

• GFSI Certification for the Packaging Industry

Visit www.saiglobal.com/assurance/packaging for more info.

The Premiere Choice for Packaging Certification As an international provider of certification programs, SAI Global offers a comprehensive suite of training courses and certification audits to meet your organization’s needs. When you work with SAI Global, know that you are working with an organization that is committed to helping customers understand the full packaging landscape, and choosing the right certification for their business. Our packaging technical managers and dozens of support staff are at your disposal to answer questions and navigate the decisions toward achieving the right food safety standards for your organization.

Support from a Single Source – Get all the support you need from one centralized resource. From training through certification, SAI Global offers all the services needed to get the job done right, including pre-assessments, purchasing the standards and more.

Expert Technical Staff – Trust that our expert trainers and auditors are knowledgeable and experienced. They get to know your business, your processes, and run an audit that’s focused on improving and adding value to your business.

Local Experts Around the Globe – As a leading global service provider, our team is strategically located all over the globe to provide local service in many markets, and as your business grows to new regions, our staff is ready to help.

Personalized Account Management – For our global customers, we’ll assign a team to manage your account, based on your key deliverables. For our customers that operate at a single site, a streamlined, simple service model is designed to grow with your business as you dictate. In either case, we’ve worked to automate as much of this process as possible – which simplifies your job. Just give us the direction on how much personalization you want, and we’ll take it from there.

Speed, Quality and Efficiency – Our teams are continually driving service improvements to ensure simple processes that are designed to provide service excellence. “Excellence Assured” is our promise to customers – know that our team is committed to making your life easy through organized and efficient workflows.

Resources at Your Fingertips – Whether you’re utilizing one of our many free webinars, or you’re talking to an Industry Technical Expert, know that SAI Global is committed to not just servicing your account, but also to providing you with resources that are here to help.

Contact an SAI Global representative today and learn how we can help you improve your business.

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