Certification Is the Milestone—Not the Finish Line

Achieving SQF certification is a significant accomplishment. It represents months of documentation, system building, internal audits, and cultural transformation. But certification is not the end of the road—it marks the beginning of a continuous compliance journey built on monitoring, improvement, and ongoing audits.

Understanding how certification works, how it’s maintained, and what’s expected in subsequent audits is essential for long-term success.

The Certification Audit: Earning the Seal

Once your SQF system has been implemented and operating for at least 90 days, and internal audits and a management review have been completed, your facility can undergo a certification audit by a licensed SQF certification body. This audit typically includes:

• Desk Review: Evaluation of your food safety and quality management system documentation.
• Onsite Audit: A thorough inspection of the facility, interviews with staff, record sampling, and real-time process observation.

The auditor will score findings based on severity:

• Minor Non-conformity: A gap that doesn’t pose a significant food safety risk but must be corrected.
• Major Non-conformity: A significant deviation that impacts product safety or quality.
• Critical Non-conformity: A serious breach that directly endangers food safety or violates regulatory compliance. Certification is not granted until resolved.

Depending on the outcome, facilities may receive:

• Certification with no conditions
• Certification with corrective actions due within 30 days
• Certification withheld until re-audit or corrective measures are validated

Ongoing Audits: Maintaining the Standard

SQF certification is valid for one year, and maintaining that certification requires an annual recertification audit. These ongoing audits focus on:

• Performance since the last audit: Including how non-conformities were addressed and whether similar issues have recurred.
• System maturity: Has your SQF system become embedded in operations, or is it still dependent on pre-audit preparation?
• Improvement activities: Including internal audits, corrective actions, and continuous improvement initiatives.

Recertification audits are full evaluations, and they may also include:

• Scope changes: If your facility adds new products, processes, or operational areas.
• Revisions to the SQF Code: Facilities must demonstrate conformance with the current version of the Code.

Unannounced Audits: The True Test of Readiness

Once certified, your facility will be subject to unannounced audits at least once every three certification cycles. These audits follow the same protocol as scheduled audits but occur without prior notice.

The purpose is to assess the integrity and day-to-day adherence to your SQF system. Facilities must maintain readiness by:

• Embedding compliance into routine operations
• Keeping documentation and records current
• Ensuring all employees are trained and audit-aware year-round

Suspension, Withdrawal, and Reinstatement

Certification is not permanent—it can be suspended or withdrawn for:

• Failure to schedule or complete a recertification audit
• Unresolved critical non-conformities
• Refusal to accept unannounced audits
• Regulatory violations or food safety incidents

Reinstatement requires corrective actions, possible re-audit, and verification by the certification body.

How Registrar Corp Supports Certification Maintenance & Ongoing Audits

We help facilities maintain SQF certification through:

• Post-certification monitoring and compliance checks
• Internal audit support before recertification
• Document and version control audits aligned with the latest SQF Code
• Employee retraining programs to reinforce audit preparedness
• Ongoing consulting to address operational changes or non-conformance trends

Our goal is to help facilities view audits not as hurdles, but as checkpoints in an evolving culture of food safety excellence.

Final Takeaway: Certification Is Earned—and Upheld Daily

Achieving SQF certification proves your commitment. But keeping it proves your consistency. Ongoing audits ensure your system remains robust, your team stays sharp, and your customers stay confident.

Facilities that approach certification as a continuous improvement process—not a one-time achievement—are better equipped to weather challenges, grow responsibly, and lead in food safety performance.