BRCGS certification step by step: from scope to certificate
BRCGS certification runs in seven phases: defining the scope, choosing a certification body, preparing, being audited, handling findings, receiving the certificate, and maintaining it each year. BRCGS Food Safety is recognised by the GFSI (Global Food Safety Initiative). You can check its recognition status on MyGFSI . The order below is a practical route. Start with defining the scope, read the BRCGS hub for the overview, and use the requirements guide to build your preparation.
The step-by-step plan in one table
| Phase | What you do | Evidence you need |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Scope | Record the product, process, sites and outsourced steps | Scope description with product groups and sites |
| 2. Body | Choose a certification body and request a quote | Quote with scope version, audit option and validity date |
| 3. Preparation | Set up control blocks, close gaps, run an internal audit | Procedures, records, internal audit report |
| 4. Audit | Go through the audit day, answer questions, show evidence | Audit plan, evidence file, printed or digital records |
| 5. Findings | Record findings, investigate causes, correct them | Corrective action plan with owner and date |
| 6. Certificate | Wait for the body’s decision and receive the certificate | Certificate with scope, grade and validity |
| 7. Maintenance | Annual cycle, report changes, plan the next audit | Change log, revised scope, next audit planning |
The table shows the sequence and the evidence. The exact timeframes, audit types and requirements are set by the applicable BRCGS programme and your arrangements with the certification body. Request them in writing.
The seven phases step by step
Define the scope
Describe what you want to certify: which products, which processes, which site, and which activities you carry out yourself or outsource. A sauce producer, for example, records raw material receipt, cooking, filling, chilled storage and dispatch. That description determines the quote, the audit duration and any later discussion about exclusions. Read the full explanation at defining the BRCGS scope.
Choose a certification body and request a quote
Request quotes from at least two recognised bodies. Compare them on the same scope version, the same audit option and the same arrangements for findings and re-assessment. A quote without those three points cannot be compared. You can find a comparison of cost items at BRCGS costs and timeline.
Translate the requirements into your own way of working
Go through the control blocks: management, hazard control, hygiene, product and process, traceability, and integrity. For each block, note which procedure, record or measurement provides evidence. Use the requirements guide as a starting point, not as a complete checklist. The official standard remains the authority.
Close gaps and prepare
Most of the work happens here. Make records easy to read, make sure staff can explain their own procedure, and check that the evidence exists across the whole scope, including the night shift and outsourced steps. Plan an internal audit covering the full scope, as described on internal audit for BRCGS.
Go through the audit day
The auditor checks the standard, the process and the evidence. Make sure there is a contact person, that production can be shown, and that the document file is in order. According to MyGFSI , the scheme has announced audits, blended announced audits, and two unannounced audit types (voluntary, or mandatory once every three years). Choose the type together with your certification body. According to a whitepaper from Mérieux NutriSciences , a blended audit (partly remote) is only available for re-certification, not for the first audit. Also read how an unannounced audit works, because your organisation must always be audit-ready for one.
Handle findings
Each finding gets a record, a root cause investigation and a corrective action with an owner and a date. Read how findings, grades and the certification decision relate on the BRCGS audit result page. You can only dispute a finding with supporting evidence, and it is better to do so before the finding is closed.
Certificate and maintenance
After the body’s decision you receive the certificate with its scope and grade. The annual cycle then begins: report changes to scope or process, keep records up to date, and plan the next audit. For a new product line, request a change quote before you start production.
What the auditor wants to see in each phase
An auditor rarely starts with the document. They start on the shop floor. They walk through the scope and ask for evidence at each point. So before the audit, it helps to be able to answer three questions for each phase:
- Which record belongs to this process, and where is it kept?
- Who fills in that record, and can that person explain it?
- What happens when the record shows a deviation?
If you can answer those three questions for the critical steps, you are better prepared than with a thick quality manual. The auditor looks at the link between procedure, practice and evidence.
Common mistakes in the step-by-step plan
| Mistake | Result | Better approach |
|---|---|---|
| Defining the scope only afterwards | Quote and audit do not match reality | Scope first, then the quote |
| Preparing only the quality manager | Operators cannot explain their own procedure | Role-based training, with evidence |
| Running the internal audit only in the office | Production and outsourcing stay unknown | Internal audit covering the full scope |
| Findings without a root cause investigation | The same finding comes back | Cause, action, owner, check |
| Certificate without a maintenance plan | Changes are reported too late | Annual plan with a change log |
Frequently asked questions
How long does the whole process take?
That depends on the size of your scope, the state of your control blocks and the body’s planning. Set a realistic schedule with milestones, not a fixed promise. The costs page explains which activities fill the timeline.
Do I need everything in order at the same time?
No, but the scope you certify must be fully in order. You can work in phases, as long as you record the sequence and the owner for each phase.
Can I skip a phase if I already have a different scheme?
Partly. An existing system, for example based on HACCP or ISO 22000, saves work on the control blocks. It does not replace the BRCGS requirements. Compare the schemes on BRCGS versus IFS before you choose.