Food Hospitality BRCGS food safety certification in one workspace
Standard selection, gap assessment, certification audit, audit grades, and annual recertification in one structured workspace.
The situation
BRCGS (Brand Reputation through Compliance Global Standards) is a food safety certification scheme for manufacturers, processors, and food service sites. Certification is awarded after an independent certification body audit against the relevant BRCGS Standard, with audit grades from AA down to D. It is not ISO 22000 or FSSC 22000, and there is no stage 1 or stage 2 audit cycle like ISO management system certification.
Most sites move through standard selection and gap assessment, HACCP and food safety system implementation, a certification audit by an approved certification body, published audit grade, then annual recertification audits to maintain certification. Elevale does not perform BRCGS audits or issue certificates. It gives quality, operations, and site leadership teams one structured workspace to manage audit evidence, corrective actions, and recertification readiness.
BRCGS audit grades AA to D
After the certification audit, sites receive a grade from AA to D based on the number and severity of non-conformances found. AA and A grades indicate strong compliance with few or minor issues. Lower grades signal more significant gaps that may require corrective action plans and closer scrutiny from customers and retailers.
Grades are published on the BRCGS directory and influence customer approval decisions. Many retailers and food service buyers specify minimum grade requirements for suppliers. Elevale helps you track open non-conformances, corrective actions, and grade history so recertification preparation starts from current evidence, not folders rebuilt before each audit.
Annual recertification audits
BRCGS certification is maintained through annual recertification audits by your approved certification body. This is not ISO surveillance terminology: each cycle is a full recertification audit against the current standard version, with a fresh grade awarded based on findings.
Sites must keep HACCP plans, prerequisite programmes, supplier approvals, training records, and internal audit evidence current between audits. When standards update or product scope changes, recertification scope and preparation tasks change with them. Elevale links audit actions to pathway stages so annual readiness does not repeat the same cross-functional chase.
Why spreadsheets and point tools fall short
HACCP documentation lives in quality folders while daily CCP monitoring records sit on the production floor in separate systems. Supplier approvals, allergen controls, and training matrices are tracked in spreadsheets that fall out of date before the recertification audit. Corrective actions from the last audit close in email threads without a maintained record of root cause and verification.
Generic food safety templates add ISO-style stage 1 and stage 2 language that does not match BRCGS audit and recertification cycles. Without a single record linking standard requirements to site evidence, audit preparation repeats the same assembly work every year.
How Elevale supports your BRCGS journey
Elevale gives quality, operations, and site leadership teams one workspace to manage BRCGS certification from standard selection through certification audit, grade tracking, and annual recertification. Certification Pathway maps each stage with linked evidence, named owners, and review dates that stay current as products, suppliers, and standard versions change.
Company Wiki stores HACCP plans, prerequisite programme procedures, and allergen management documents with version history linked to pathway stages. Task Management connects gap remediations, internal audit actions, supplier approvals, and recertification preparation so audit readiness does not depend on disconnected quality folders.
Certification Pathway
Track gap closure, audit, and recertification by stage
Certification Pathway structures your BRCGS journey by stage, not by generic compliance modules. Standard selection, gap assessment, system implementation, certification audit, grade tracking, and annual recertification each link evidence, owners, and review dates in one maintained record.
Company Wiki
HACCP and procedures linked to audit evidence
Company Wiki stores HACCP plans, cleaning schedules, allergen controls, and supplier approval criteria with version history. Link wiki pages directly to pathway stages so auditors can trace documented systems to live site practice.
Task Management
Corrective actions and review dates stay connected
Task Management connects gap remediations, internal audit findings, supplier re-approvals, training renewals, and recertification preparation deadlines. Quality and operations actions stay visible through each audit cycle.
A practical rhythm for BRCGS
- Select the BRCGS Standard. Confirm the applicable standard for your site type, product scope, and customer requirements, then open the BRCGS pathway from the certification library.
- Assess gaps. Review current HACCP, prerequisite programmes, and documented controls against BRCGS requirements, and assign owners to close identified gaps before the certification audit.
- Implement the food safety system. Finalise HACCP plans, training records, supplier approvals, and internal audit programmes so evidence matches what the certification body will review on site.
- Complete the certification audit. Host the approved certification body audit, respond to findings during the visit, and record non-conformances and corrective action plans in the pathway.
- Track your audit grade. Record the awarded grade from AA to D, close corrective actions within agreed timescales, and update customer-facing certification records on the BRCGS directory.
- Prepare for annual recertification. Refresh HACCP and prerequisite evidence, close open corrective actions, and schedule the next recertification audit so certification stays current without last-minute folder rebuilds.
What changes when your BRCGS journey runs in one system
Teams managing BRCGS certification in Elevale spend less time assembling audit packs and more time closing real food safety gaps. HACCP evidence, supplier approvals, and corrective actions stay connected to pathway stages between recertification audits.
When product scope, suppliers, or standard versions change, linked pathway stages update with them. The next recertification audit starts from a maintained workspace, not folders rebuilt from quality exports and floor-level paper records.
Getting started
Select the BRCGS pathway from the certification library, confirm your standard and product scope with quality and operations leads, and link HACCP documents from your wiki. Start your 14-day free trial or explore Certification Pathway to see how audit grades and recertification stay aligned.
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What BRCGS audit grades can a site receive?
After a certification audit, sites receive a grade from AA to D based on the number and severity of non-conformances. AA and A indicate strong compliance, while lower grades reflect more significant gaps that may require corrective action plans. Grades are published on the BRCGS directory and influence customer approval. Elevale helps you track grade history, open findings, and corrective actions between audits.
How often is BRCGS recertification required?
BRCGS certification is maintained through annual recertification audits by your approved certification body. Each cycle is a full recertification audit against the current standard, with a fresh grade awarded. This is not ISO surveillance terminology. Elevale tracks recertification dates, corrective actions, and linked evidence so annual readiness starts from maintained records.
Is BRCGS the same as ISO 22000 certification?
No. BRCGS is a standalone food safety certification scheme with its own standards, audit process, and grading system. ISO 22000 follows a different certification model with stage 1 and stage 2 audits, which does not apply to BRCGS. Elevale structures your pathway around BRCGS audit and recertification language, not ISO management system cycles.
What happens during a BRCGS certification audit?
An approved certification body audits your site against the applicable BRCGS Standard, reviewing HACCP plans, prerequisite programmes, supplier controls, training, internal audits, and on-site practices. Findings are classified as non-conformances, and the overall outcome determines your audit grade. Elevale keeps linked evidence and corrective action records ready so audit preparation does not depend on rebuilding folders at the last minute.
Can Elevale help with BRCGS certification?
Yes. Elevale does not perform BRCGS audits or issue certificates, but it gives quality, operations, and site leadership teams one workspace to manage standard selection, gap assessment, certification audit preparation, grade tracking, corrective actions, and annual recertification linked to each stage.