Press Release

BRCGS UNVEILS NEW DIGITAL TOOL AS PART OF ITS SUPPLIER ASSURANCE OFFERING

January 09, 2020

  • BRCGS announce a new technical partnership with Danish organisation, Got Ethics.
  • BRCGS are launching a confidential reporting system, also known as a whistleblowing management tool.
  • New requirements in senior management commitment across the BRCGS Global Standards present new challenges for suppliers and brands to manage internal feedback.

BRCGS, the world’s most rigorous supply chain assurance programme, unveiled a new visual identity and brand signature at the GFSI Conference in Nice in February 2019. With a heritage in British retail, BRCGS has evolved over the past 20 years into a range of Global Standards, helping manufacturers, retailers and food service companies meet demanding ethical, quality and safety criteria.

As part of their continued development and growth, BRCGS recognises the power of digital platforms and tools to deepen understanding of its Standards and drive compliance and transparency. With their technology partner, Got Ethics, BRCGS will be offering suppliers, brands and certification bodies access to a confidential reporting system. This system effectively captures internal feedback from anyone in the organisation, anonymously where preferred, that may highlight emerging issues that could impact many areas of compliance. Supported in 50 languages, giving the product global appeal, the system also incorporates a simple case management system and is a great way to review emerging issues before they become public.

‘We are delighted to work with Got Ethics and learn from the experience in whistleblowing they can share with BRCGS customers. As confidential reporting is now an important part of senior management commitment across our Standards, we are excited to offer a digital solution that can help drive our vision of Science for A Safer World’, stated Mark Proctor, CEO, BRCGS.

‘Got Ethics are delighted to work with BRCGS to support organisations in the global supply chain. Our experience across other sectors coupled with the BRCGS global supplier footprint is a partnership we are all excited about. We look forward to working with BRCGS, especially as confidential reporting is now an important requirement in their Standards.’ Peter Dago, CEO, Got Ethics.

Against a climate of rising consumer and investor consciousness, tech-enabled transparency, and growing supply chain complexity, BRCGS is rapidly evolving so that manufacturers, brand owners and retailers can maintain faith in their products. Additional developments include:

  • Ethical Trade and Responsible Sourcing Standard – Launched in August 2019, this will be one of the first ethical standards to achieve the Consumer Goods Forum’s Sustainable Supply Chain Initiative Benchmark Criteria and also be accredited to ISO 17021.
  • Free-From – In 2018, BRCGS acquired Allergen Control Group, owner and operator of the Gluten -Free Certification Program. Under the BRCGS umbrella the trademark now has a truly global platform from which to establish itself. The first internationally recognised Plant-Based Global Standard launched in January 2020.
  • Packaging and sustainability – In August 2019, Issue 6 of the BRCGS Packaging Materials Standard was introduced which places more emphasis on product safety and quality culture. A new module is in development that reflects the need to control plastics in the environment.
  • Food Safety Culture – In partnership with Taylor Shannon International (TSI), BRCGS has developed an assessment of food safety culture which demonstrates the role company culture plays in creating an effective and responsive food safety and manufacturing environment, and the link between culture and audit success.
  • Small businesses – Recognising that not all sites are at a stage where it is appropriate or practical to adopt the Food Safety Standard in full, the BRCGS START! programme has been developed to facilitate and encourage the development of food safety systems in smaller sites. It is actively being used in countries in South America and the Asia-Pacific region.

ABOUT GOT ETHICS

Got Ethics is a leading international provider of whistleblowing solutions to support the fight against unethical behaviour in both the private and public sector worldwide.

Since its launch in 2010, the company has established a reputation for technological innovation designed to simplify the confidential reporting process for individuals and facilitate the process of case investigations by organisations.

Its solutions comply with the highest international standards for data privacy and security.