Transition to FSSC 22000 v 5

The latest version of FSSC 22000 was released June 3 2019. Version 5 is a revised version of FSSC 22000 v 4.1, formally launched in July 2017. The main reasons for changes in the new version of FSSC 22000 v 5 are:

• Publication of the new ISO 22000:2018 standard
• Inclusion of the Board of Stakeholders list of decisions
• Compliance with GFSI requirements
• Continual improvement process

Audits against the former version FSSC 22000 v 4.1 are only allowed until 31 December 2019 and all issued FSSC 22000 certificates v 4.1 will become invalid after 29 June 2021. Upgrade audits against FSSC 22000 v 5 scheme requirements shall be conducted between 1 January 2020 and 31 December 2020.

Get started on your transition process

We recommend to start preparing for the transition as early as possible and plan properly to incorporate needed changes into your management system. Recommended steps for the transition are:

• Get to know the content and requirements of FSSC 22000 v 5. If you are already certified to FSSC 22000 v 4.1, you should focus on the changes in requirements.
• Ensure that relevant personnel in your organization is trained and understand the requirements and key changes.
• Identify gaps which need to be addressed to meet the new requirements and establish an implementation plan. Implement actions and update your management system to meet the new requirements.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of implementation through internal audits and define further actions where needed.

Our auditors are prepared and have a full overview of the changes and what is required to transition from FSSC 22000 v 4.1 to v 5. We can support you in all phases of the transition, so that you can start preparing, assess your level of readiness and efficiently complete that transition.

The above packages bundle various services to support your transition process, and can include:

• Seminars, webinars, e-learning, self-assessment checklists etc. where you typically learn about the standard and where you get a basic overview of the content and key changes.
• Tutored training courses, in-company or public. The objective of these courses is to provide detailed insight into the content and changes and about the required steps for transition. These are modular courses where the level of detail can be tailored to your needs.
• Gap assessment (workshops) where we assess your management system against the requirements of the new standard and identify the gaps that need to be addressed. This will provide useful input to your process to comply with the new standard. The level of detail of such assessment can be tailored to your needs.
• Transition audits and benchmarking tools.