Freshcare has undergone extensive participant and industry stakeholder consultation, to make positive changes to the unannounced audit requirements in our Standards; Food Safety & Quality 4.2 and Supply Chain 2.

After receiving feedback from participants and industry, Freshcare consulted across our stakeholder groups to understand the impact of unannounced audit requirements on growers and businesses. View the Freshcare Consultation Journey below.

We are pleased to release our new rules and changes to FSQ4.2 and Supply Chain 2 Standards, with the amended unannounced audit requirements. Please read the information following which outlines the changes.

Changes for Food Safety & Quality Standard 4.2 (FSQ4.2):

Certification Bodies are now only required to conduct unannounced audits on 10% of Freshcare participants annually. The previous requirement of participants to undertake an unannounced audit 1 in every 4 years is no longer applicable.

Many Freshcare participants, particularly those engaged in ongoing best business practices, are less likely to be nominated for an unannounced audit.

For those participants included in the 10% selection in any year, the booking window for unannounced audits has shortened from 60 to 30 days. This will provide some further certainty, as to when the audit is likely to happen. The same 10 “blackout” days are still available.

How will businesses be selected to receive an unannounced audit for FSQ4.2?

Your nominated Certification Body will undertake an assessment to select which businesses and participants they chose to undertake an unannounced audit to meet their 10% quota in a calendar year.

Businesses that have consistently received corrective action records (CARs) are more likely to be selected for an unannounced audit to provide confidence that the business is adopting an ongoing food safety culture.

Businesses that want to showcase their commitment to best practice can also self-nominate to complete their audit as unannounced.

Changes for Supply Chain Standard 2 (SCS2):

For Supply Chain Standard participants, 1 audit in every 3-year cycle is to be conducted unannounced.  

The booking window for unannounced audits has been shortened from 60 to 30 days. This will provide some further certainty, as to when the audit is likely to happen. The same 10 “blackout” days are still available.

How will businesses be selected to receive an unannounced audit for SCS2?

Your nominated Certification Body will notify you of your allocated unannounced audit cycle, based on the 1 in 3-year requirements.

Businesses can also self-nominate to complete their audit unannounced.

Rule Amendments

These changes have resulted in an update to the Rules for each of the Standards.

Please download the Industry Advice Notice and Rule changes as they apply to the program you participate in.

Download: FSQ4.2 Rule Amendments - Industry Advice Notice - June 2023Download: SCS2 Rule Amendments - Industry Advice Notice - June 2023

These changes come into effect from 1 September 2023.

If you have any questions or require assistance interpreting these changes, please call us on 02 8039 9999 or email your enquiry to: [email protected]

Program updates and rule changes are communicated to program participants via direct email and made available on FreshcareOnline, and the website here: Freshcare Standards Resources.

Page last updated 28 June 2023.