Releasing of Documents
Hello everyone! Here's a little background on the current documentation process in our company.
Both R&D and QA Department currently generate our release of documents to clients. We are a distributor and a manufacturer as well. Our QA is in charge of the documents for direct-to-client items or items that we distribute directly from imported supplier to local clients. Whereas, R&D generates product specification sheet, material safety data sheet, allergen/ingredients list declaration, shelf-life extension statements, and other food safety-related documents (e.g., non-GMO declaration, GRAS statement, etc.) for the manufactured items.
Our company plans to secure FSSC 22000 certification and our current process in documentation might cause some major concerns. I am from the R&D department, and I don’t think it’s appropriate for us to release or be mainly in charge of generating these kinds of documents. I think we could only provide some necessary information about the product but not necessarily the one to issue documents to clients, especially food safety and quality-related documents.
Would there be any detailed standards for us to refer to in terms of releasing documents that we could show to our senior management? Any advice or input would be of great help. Thank you!
We're a smaller place, FSSC 22k, and I'm technically R&D, QA, lab, FSTL, all that rolled into one. So it depends on your organization somewhat.
I don't think it matters as long as you demonstrate control of documents...
Who is in charge of what, and their title, is largely arbitrary. The only exceptions will be where a regulator or certification scheme define a title, such as SQF Practitioner, or Food Defense Qualified Individual.
If your Director of Legal Affairs or Sanitation Supervisor is the one with the final authority to communicate safety or quality specifications to a third party is up to your organization to decide.
To make things easier, make Quality dept responsible for releasing all documents. RnD can write/generate, review documents, and Quality can release.
Generally speaking it is the Quality department that the Quality management systems are established, implemented and maintained but depending on your organization and number of employees it all depends who is assigned to what role. The key is that the same person cannot write and approve the document and the approving persons job description must clearly be stated.
Cross reference ISO 22000:2018 5.3 (Organizational roles, responsibilities and authorities)
Good luck
John CT