The Importance of Supplier and Product Risk Assessment in Food Safety Assurance

14/06/2022 16:40 - 17:10

Internal Audit for Food Safety has been established as an independent control within the Fortenova Group. Auditing of quality assurance, production processes and other identified risks in Operative Companies is performed based upon principles of Internal Audit. The overall mission of Internal Audit is to enhance and protect organisational value by providing risk-based and objective assurance, advice, and insight.  

The presentation focuses on the importance of supplier risk assessments and supplier audits, and present the methodology we use in our Group. Supplier risk assessment is beneficial for both the organisation and their business partners. Communication of clear expectations, improvement in supplier quality and elimination of unnecessary costs are three of the most important reasons and benefits of conducting a supplier risk assessment. Regardless of the business size or scope, the key to success is identifying and mitigating risks before threats reach crisis level, which is why the supplier and a product risk assessment is vital for selecting and managing suppliers. In particular, manufacturing companies must have a model to determine and evaluate suppliers to gain the most value.

 An organisation can also examine the quality of a particular supplier and the risk it presents to the organisation through supplier audits. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Quality Control experts were forced to perform remote audits and use them effectively to ensure reliable results. By using electronic methods and appropriate checklists, Quality Control units gathered evidence to assess the supplier properly and objectively. Above all, ensuring Food safety is our priority.

In conclusion, by establishing proper auditing, an organisation can significantly reduce risks, improve processes and create excellent value for their products and services.

Tanja Dinic, Director of the Internal Audit of Food Safety, Fortenova Group d.d.

Back to programme