IFS Broker - Get the best certification | TÜV NORD

IFS Broker for brokers, traders and importers

Manage complex global supply chains more efficiently and safely: with certification according to International Featured Standards (IFS) Broker, you can guarantee your customers seamless safety of food, personal care and household products between manufacturing and trading companies. You optimize your resource management, save costs through faster supplier selection and in the post-processing of returns. With the IFS Broker certificate, you demonstrate your responsibility as an intermediary and respond to increasing requirements in the food industry.

IFS Broker certification as a standard recognized by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) gives you access to new markets: As an intermediary or when importing foodstuffs, the IFS standard ensures that the goods you supply comply with current legal regulations. IFS Broker serves to prevent food fraud.

The standard is DAkkS accredited.

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Target group

Trading companies and intermediaries that purchase and resell food and non-food products.

Benefits of IFS Broker certification

Time and cost savings through more effective use of resources
Optimisation of your purchasing processes with faster and better supplier selection
Greater safety in the food manufacturing sector
Secure competitive position
With IFS Broker, you react to the increasing complexity of supply chains
Less need for customer audits

The route to your IFS Broker certificate:

Assessment of requirements and preparation of a quotation

You commission TÜV NORD

Performance of the assessment

Implementation of any corrective measures by your company

Review of the action plan by TÜV NORD

Report and certificate

Upload to the IFS database

Purpose of IFS Broker certification

Nowadays, raw materials and products are purchased through ever more complex channels and from many very different sources. Trade intermediaries and importers – in other words brokers – are involved in this process: they bring food and products from manufacturers to retailers. They are expected to know, understand and implement the product requirements of the manufacturing companies. The IFS has developed the IFS Broker standard for this target group, in order to include them in the overall food safety concept.

Based on IFS Broker, processes in and with intermediary or importing companies are assessed for their suitability and correct implementation. One important aspect is the way brokers select their suppliers. The objective is to guarantee fulfilment of requirements in the areas of food safety and quality. Therefore legal requirements and contractual specifications have to be adhered to in order to protect consumers.

The three main aspects of the standard:

Introduction of a standardised assessment system for brokers
Comparability and transparency along the entire supply chain
Time and cost savings for suppliers and traders

IFS Broker in its third version: A summary of the changes

The third version of IFS Broker has been available since 2020.

A transition phase up to 30.06.2020 was specified in which organizations could undergo certification according to Version 2 or Version 3. As from 01.07.2020, IFS Broker audits are only performed based on Version 3. This new version of IFS Broker is much more comprehensive than its predecessor. Among other things, an additional, fifth section of the standard describes the possibility of unannounced audits. There are also changes to the second part: almost half of the existing 84 requirements were updated, and 17 new ones were added.

IFS Broker certification from TÜV NORD CERT: the benefit to you

Our experienced and expert team will support you in your certification process from the very beginning. Our long years of activity in the certification sector and the knowledge of many interdisciplinary experts will also be fully at your disposal to guide you through the audit procedure. With TÜV NORD CERT as certification body you will also benefit from worldwide recognition of the TÜV brand. We stand for objectivity, neutrality and competence.