At Diligence Certifications, we provide a structured, simple route to ISO 22000:2018 Certification through the audit process and its verification aligned with Food Safety System Certification (FSSC).  Using this information, you will now understand the certification process as follows:

Stage 1 Audit – Initial Assessment of FSMS

• The Stage 1 audit encompasses an on-site audit of your Food Safety Management System (FSMS) to demonstrate compliance with the ISO 22000:2018 standard. This audit will not only verify that the FSMS has been properly documented and designed to meet your organization’s food safety policies and objectives, but also that the organization can also demonstrate the following:
• The Statutory, Regulatory, or contractual quality obligations to be satisfied are addressed
• Internal audits and management review systems, and structure are in place.
• The essential FSMS documentation that needs to be reviewed includes, but is not limited to, the scope of certification, food safety objectives, and the organization’s legal and customer requirements.

Stage 2 Audit – Certification evaluation

The Stage 2 Audit is often referred to as the Certification Audit. At Stage 2, the auditor’s assessment takes a much deeper dive into how the ISO 22000 FSMS has been effective in organization-wide management. The auditor will:

1. Validate how the FSMS has been put in place for effectiveness and at all levels of operations.
2. Review pieces of evidence to demonstrate conformity to ISO 22000:2018 standards.
3. Review your organization’s ability to control food safety hazards, legal responsibilities, and critical control points.
4. Determine whether the FSMS is effective in attaining your food safety objectives and customers’ wants and needs.
5. The aim of these evaluations is to consider if the organization can maintain its commitment to food safety compliance by having a systematic approach to planning and action.  

 Final Certification – ISO 22000 FSMS Compliance

1. Where both audits have been carried out successfully, the audit report is prepared thoroughly and steps undergo administrative verification, that audit report is finally reviewed independently. If the reviewer is satisfied with the auditor’s recommendations, the report is authorized and made available to the Certification Authority, commonly a Chief Executive Officer or Director, for approve the certification. 
2. When the Certificate authority approves the certificate, your organization will receive a certificate identifying your compliance with ISO 22000 Standards globally with the FSSC 22000.