Certification BRCGS Packaging Materials

BRCGS Packaging Materials is a widely used standard in the food contact packaging industry. It sets the direction for ensuring its safety and consumer protection.

The BRCGS Packaging Materials global standard for manufacturers of packaging and packaging materials is an internationally recognized standard for packaging. Obtaining BRCGS Packaging Materials certification gives a company international recognition of quality, safety and product responsibility. Implementation of BRCGS Packaging Materials helps to ensure the safety of the packaging produced and to meet legal and hygiene requirements.

For manufacturers and suppliers of all packaging materials including storage and transportation:

• materials for direct contact with food
• materials for indirect food contact
• materials for contact with products other than food (e.g. cosmetics)

BRCGS Packaging Materials covers the following areas:

• hazard identification and risk assessment
• Management system in production
• ensuring proper production environment (i.e., implementation of GMP and GHP principles), product control, process
• contamination surveillance, migration of elements, chemical composition, laboratory testing
• personnel

The above analysis covers the most relevant areas of production, directly and indirectly related to packaging.

Audits are conducted at a time agreed upon between TÜV NORD Polska and the customer. The duration of the audit depends on the size and type of production facility. The minimum duration of the audit is determined by BRCGS. The audit ends with the preparation of a report, if there are any nonconformities a list of them is prepared. Based on the list of nonconformities, the audited company prepares a corrective action plan with deadlines for their implementation. The report and the list of nonconformities along with the corrective action plan go to the certification body, where the certification decision is made. Usually, the validity period of the certificate is 1 year.

• facilitation of cooperation with domestic and foreign customers
• avoidance of multiple audits by customers
• reduction of costs through systematic preventive actions
• improvement of the company, processes and products
• assistance in supervision of compliance with legal and customer requirements for packaging
• is required by network customers as proof of compliance with BRCGS Packaging Materials requirements at the supplier

Notification of emergency and other situations

According to the requirement of the standard, in the event that circumstances change within the enterprise that may affect the continuity of certification, the enterprise is obliged within 3 working days to notify the Certification Body through a special email address that has been activated: Food Alert 

Such circumstances include:

• legal proceedings regarding the safety or legality of the product
• product recall action
• significant damage to the plant, such as a natural disaster such as flooding, or damage due to fire
• change of ownership

For more information, visit:  https://www.brcgs.com/