Welcome to Amtivo in Ireland – formerly Certification Europe, EQA and BQAI

BRCGS Storage & Distribution

Certification for the businesses that keep food moving.

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What is BRCGS Storage & Distribution Standard? 

Food safety doesn’t stop at the factory doors. BRCGS Global Standard for Storage & Distribution is a globally recognised standard that sets out requirements for keeping products safe and quality-assured while they’re stored, handled, and moved through the supply chain.

Companies operating in warehousing, transport, and logistics operations that handle food, packaging and consumer products between production and shelf can all benefit from certification to the standard.

First published in 2006, BRCGS Standard for Storage & Distribution was developed to close the gap between certified manufacturing and the end customer. Think of it as an essential certification that can bridge the link between BRCGS manufacturing standards and the retailer or food service company the products finally reach.

what is brcgs storage and distribution

Working with Amtivo  

With around 1,500 BRCGS certificates and growing, many businesses in the UK and Ireland trust Amtivo with BRCGS certification. We certify the full suite of BRCGS standards, so multi-activity operations can keep one certification body and one relationship across everything they certify: 

  • BRCGS Food Safety
  • BRCGS Packaging Materials
  • BRCGS Agents & Brokers
  • BRCGS START! 
  • BRCGS Gluten-Free
  • BRCGS Plant-Based

Whichever combination your operation needs, you will get a coordinator who seeks to understand your operation and your audit history, from first enquiry to issued certificate.  

who needs the brcgs storage and distribution standard

Switching to Amtivo

If you’re already certified elsewhere, switching is just one booking. There’s no certificate “transfer” process to go through; you simply book your next audit with us – tell us your current certificate expiry and when your next audit is due, and we will quote and get your audit booked with Amtivo. Your current certificate, grade and BRCGS Directory listing carry on as normal until then.

Who Needs BRCGS Storage & Distribution? 

If your business stores or moves food, packaging or consumer products on behalf of others (or between your own sites), this is the standard your customers will recognise. A such, it’s suitable for: 

Third-party logistics providers

Serving retailers and food manufacturers, where certification is increasingly a condition of the contract rather than a nice-to-have.

Cold storage & ambient warehousing

Whether you store your own products or hold stock on behalf of customers, certification demonstrates your storage operation is under control.

Hauliers & transport operators

Moving food and drink domestically or between Ireland, the UK and the EU.

Wholesalers

Businesses that purchase products for resale to other businesses, including branded and own-label products.

Manufacturers with off-site operations

With storage or distribution activities that fall outside the scope of their BRCGS Food Safety certification.

The Scope of BRCGS Storage & Distribution 

The standard applies at any point in the supply chain between primary production and retail, covering food in every storage state (ambient, chilled and frozen), packaging materials and consumer products, and transport by road, rail, air, or sea. 

One aspect many businesses find beneficial about BRCGS Standard for Storage & Distribution is that you only need to certify activities your organisation performs. Implementing the standard offers flexible scope: 

  • Full scope: Storage and distribution together, for operations that do both. 
  • Storage only: For warehousing and cold storage sites. 
  • Distribution only: For operations moving goods without storing them. 
  • Transport only: Where transport is the sole activity your business performs. 

Beyond this, there are also additional voluntary modules businesses can choose from to demonstrate greater supply chain assurance. They cover common industry activities: 

  • Wholesale
  • E-commerce
  • Cross-docking
  • Contracted packing
  • Product inspection
  • Quality control inspection
  • Contracted chilling/ freezing/ tempering/ defrosting
  • Contracted cleaning
  • Waste management

What’s Covered? 

The standard’s requirements are designed to look at every relevant part of your operation and ask: can products be harmed here, and what’s in place to stop it? Organisations need to show evidence of:  

  • Management commitment and quality management system: Leadership involvement, documented procedures, and a framework for continual improvement. 
  • Hazard and risk analysis: A documented, HACCP-based analysis of the product-safety risks in your storage and distribution activities. 
  • Site and facility standards:  For your premises, evidence of security, hygiene, pest management and equipment controls. 
  • Vehicle and transport operations: Vehicle condition, loading practices, temperature management in transit and at transfer points. 
  • Product handling: Controls for damage, contamination, allergens, traceability, and product withdrawal and recall readiness. 
  • People: Evidence of training, competency and the product safety culture (aspects which Issue 4 of the standard emphasised). 

For full details, you can buy and download the standard directly from BRCGS. 

What Does Certification Involve? 

  1. Apply for a quote: Tell us about your sites, fleet and activities, and we’ll quote for the scope that fits – often within 24 hours. 
  2. Prepare: Conduct a self-assessment gap analysis to show what’s already in place and close the gaps with documented procedures, risk analysis and internal audits.  
  3. Audit: Your auditor assesses relevant facilities, vehicles, systems and people against the standard. 
  4. Certification: If the audit raises any nonconformities, you have 28 days to put them right and show what caused them. Once your evidence is accepted, your site is certified within the BRCGS 42-day requirement and listed in the official BRCGS Directory. 
understanding brcgs storage and distribution

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