3PM details confidential and GFSI certificate

Our Business engages in manufacturing in-house, importing from our sister company, and utilizing third-party manufacturing (3PM). Our Australian head office address differs from our Australian manufacturing facility. All these products are ingredients requiring further processing.

We want to maintain confidentiality regarding the details of 3PM.We hold an FSSC certificate for our in-house products, while imported products have their own FSSC certification, and 3PM products have an SQF certificate. However, our FSSC certification does not currently cover imported and third-party manufactured products, which fall under the scope of HACCP certifications.

One of our customers is preparing for a Coles audit. It seems they require a GFSI certificate for our 3PM products, and the manufacturing site address must align with the details specified in the PIF. Presently, the PIF does not include manufacturing details and is empty; only our head office address is listed. Our HACCP certificate, however, does  include our manufacturing address (not head office address). 

Failure to provide a GFSI certificate may lead our customer to stop purchasing 3PM products from us.

We are trying  to include these products under our FSSC certification.

I am seeking advice on the following:

1. Is there a way to retain the customer for our 3PM products for our current situation ?
2. If we succeed in including them in FSSC scope, how can we ensure the confidentiality of third-party manufacturing details when updating the manufacturing address section of the PIF?
3. Should the manufacturing address listed in the PIF match the address on the certificate?

Many thanks in advance for all your advise. 

I am seeking advice on the following:

1. Is there a way to retain the customer for our 3PM products for our current situation ?
2. If we succeed in including them in FSSC scope, how can we ensure the confidentiality of third-party manufacturing details when updating the manufacturing address section of the PIF?
3. Should the manufacturing address listed in the PIF match the address on the certificate?

1. in a nutshell, NO - however you tell them you are working towards inclusion in your certification or a separate certification.  If you work with a consultant for instance, that person could issue a letter indicating your company company engaged them and provide an estimated time frame for completion - we do this for our clients and it works out rather well, many times retaining business or gaining business where the customer requires certification now, but it smooths the way and the customer of our clients can then contact us directly to check on progress, etc (with our clients permission of course.)

2. You really can't, as everything needs to be transparent.

3. Your cert is for a location and the products in the scope thus a match is needed.

Of course you could hold en equity position in the co-manufacturing site and then show it under your company name - or as a division - we have seen this a number of times.

Thank you for detailed Explanation.