Do You Have The Necessary Tools To Complete Your SQF Internal Audit? (Part Two Of Three)

By Lance Schultz, Quality Programs Facilitator, JD Smith & Sons Ltd.

In the first part of the series, I described the importance of defining the scope of your internal audit and following a verification schedule for auditing all clauses of the SQF scheme. Here, in part two of the series, I want to discuss the importance of food safety objectives as key performance indicators, as well as the importance of participation from senior management in defining these food safety objectives.

Management Policy (clause 2.1.1) is the first element of SQF Module 2. The Management Policy clause includes a commitment to establish and review food safety objectives. This is where management can tailor the food safety management system (FSMS) into a strategic framework that allows management to define what is being monitored and how that relates to the goals of the company.