In the food industry, supplier compliance is a crucial issue for ensuring product quality, safety, and traceability. Yet, many companies make mistakes that can jeopardize their supply chain and lead to regulatory or financial risks. Here are the five most common mistakes in supplier compliance management, and, more importantly, how to effectively avoid them.
Many companies limit themselves to a cursory audit when integrating a new supplier. However, failing to conduct a thorough audit or verify essential certifications (IFS, BRC, ISO, etc.) can lead to the entry of non-compliant partners.
Solution: Implement a rigorous qualification process, including document collection and validation, as well as field audits when possible.
Compliance isn't a one-time step, but an ongoing process. An unmaintained supplier record exposes suppliers to risks, especially with frequent changes to standards and regulations.
Solution: Automate certificate monitoring and periodic information collection. Use a digital platform to centralize and update data in real time.
A lack of transparency in supplier relationships makes it difficult to anticipate discrepancies or nonconformities. A lack of dialogue can delay the resolution of critical issues.
Solution: Establish a clear communication channel, with regular feedback and documented exchanges to ensure transparency.
The growing complexity of supply chains exposes people to multiple risks (fraud, contamination, disruption). Failure to assess and prioritize these risks can be costly.
Solution: Adopt a 3RPM (Third-Party Risk Management) approach to identify, assess, and monitor suppliers based on their risk level.
Relying solely on certificates and documents without checking the reality on the ground (quality of batches, operating practices) can lead to unpleasant surprises.
Solution: Combine documentary audits and regular operational controls (tests, inspections, samples).
Conclusion
With Tracklab, you can achieve rigorous and proactive supplier compliance management by leveraging strategic leverage to secure your agri-food supply chain. By avoiding these common errors and implementing appropriate digital tools, you can improve your performance and customer satisfaction.
To learn more about Tracklab and how we can help you, visit www.tracklab.co or request a personalized demo.
Charlotte Picard
Quality Engineer | Tracklab
