“Our team will carry out a gap analysis of your systems or processes, and provide a gap-analysis report against the standard you wish to be certified for.

The report will typically provide remedial measures to meet the standard, that may include documenting processes, risk assessment, staff training and infrastructure/equipment improvement or renovations.

Assistance will be provided with these preparations, up to the external audit itself.

Key for preparing for an external certification audit, is to ensure the internal audit(s) is performed, findings addressed and discussed during a management review, and records kept. This will greatly improve the chances of a successful certification audit.

Experience from the Pacific Islands is that most businesses do not have documented processes or procedures. Hence, this is where our Technical Writers can work with clients to put their “voices” into their policies and procedures, so as to take ownership and ensure effective implementation.

Ultimately, the result of the external audit, whether it be ISO9001 or HACCP or Organic, depends on the clients’ level of commitment. We’ve had clients obtain certification in a matter of months, as their customers made it mandatory for suppliers.

Our approach is not to provide a one-size fit all solution, but provide an experience where the client is adequately involved from day one. This we’ve found, provides long lasting compliance and financial pay-back for the client.

For example, a HACCP client in Tonga, was pleasantly surprised, when into just 2 years of being certified, that the level of wastage had dramatically decreased. This was because he had the systems in place, and the data to show him his performance over time.

The best was being able to systematize his business, with documented procedures and trained staff, where it could run on “auto-pilot”. Meaning, he had more time for family and other activities”