QS audit
Alongside the special tests, the sample audits and the traceability investigations the system audits form an important basis for the cross-stage quality assurance process. In the system audits, the maintenance of all QS criteria with regard to hygiene, own business checks, traceability and securing of origin are monitored. In an initial audit, the business of the system aspirant is checked to ensure that they fulfil the technical, organisational and content criteria necessary for participation in the QS system.
If all criteria are fulfilled, the permission to enter the QS system is granted. Then the system partner is subsequently obliged to fulfil the requirements as only then is it possible to maintain the system participation or the continuation of the certificate. This constant checking is implemented in the form of follow-up audits which are announced prior to the certificate validation running out and implemented using standardised check lists.
Testing frequency
The testing frequency of the system audits depends on the results achieved during auditing. Based on the audit result, the business is graded into a QS status which calculates the certificate duration period and thereby the time until the next audit: The better the audit, the longer the time period until the next one. The following table gives an overview of the individual audit intervals for the individual stages.
Violations against the criteria of the QS system can lead to sanctions in an authorised business. An independent sanctions council decides, according to the severity of the violation, upon measures to be implemented. These may include subsequent auditing and an increased frequency of auditing, warnings through to contractual penalties and the exclusion from the QS system.
Table: Audit interval for the individual testing stages, depending on status 1
| Test stage QS status | Agriculture/production, animal transportation company | Animal feed, agricultural/production coordinators, slaughter/deboning, processing, meat wholesale, retail food trade (no cooperations), wholesale Fruit and vegetables | Butchery |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | 3 years | 2 years | 1 year |
| II | 2 years | 1 year | 9 months |
| III | 1 year | 6 months | 6 months |
1 Other specifications that deviate from this may apply if international agreements have been concluded
Detailed information regarding the QS audits can be found in the Certification guideline, special requirements made of mixed animal feed manufacturers as well as mutual audit recognition processes are summarised in a working documents for the Animal feed industry guideline.
Guidelines, Checklists and other Downloads can be found here.
