SGS

HYGIENE MONITORING TO GLOBAL SAFETY STANDARDS

The international SGS Hygiene Monitored (HM) Programme addresses the needs of the foodservice, retail and hospitality sectors – now more a necessity than ever before as the world adjusts to post-pandemic health and safety regulations.

If you thought food safety was a top priority before the global outbreak of COVID-19, it’s even more integral to a business’s survival now as we near the end of the lockdown period. Not only are consumers wary of restaurateurs, hoteliers and hospitality service providers where there is a higher risk of contracting the virus, but businesses who do not comply face heavy fines, loss of licenses and other punitive measures. This is where SGS steps in and assists.

Through the global SGS Hygiene Monitored Programme, they assess and target the entire premises including areas like kitchens, seating and supermarket aisles in a bid to ensure all safe, healthy hygiene practices are implemented and adhered to.

A WORLD LEADER IN QUALITY AND INTEGRITY SGS is the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. The organisation is recognised as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. With more than 94 000 employees, SGS operates a network of over 2 600 offices and laboratories around the world.

SGS has recently expanded the HM Programme to include a dedicated addendum covering compliance with the WHO COVID-19 guidelines and those of other recognised bodies. To monitor the hygiene in any given facility, representative food and water samples including environmental swabs are taken during the audit and analyzed as per the program requirements to confirm effectiveness of cleaning practices. A SARS-COV-2 detection test, using the highly sensitive RT-PCR methodology, is also available as an option.

“For many years SGS has been a trusted leader for the global food industry. During these times of crisis, it is of paramount importance that we continue to provide strong support to our customers to ensure they can resume and maintain their operations with confidence,” says Olivier Coppey, Executive Vice

President of SGS Agriculture, Food and Life. “Updating our popular HM programme to include an assessment of COVID-19 control measures, is one way that we can serve our clients in these challenging times. The SGS HM mark provides visible, extra reassurance to our clients and their customers, of an independently verified hygiene and food safety culture within their food premises.”

COVID CONTROL MEASURES FOR THE WIN The HM Programme includes regular food safety and hygiene audits, environmental monitoring, review of cleaning and disinfection practices, COVID-19 control measures and a sampling and testing regime. Successfully audited food businesses will benefit from a dedicated HM mark (mark of compliance) and a

OTHER SOLUTIONS TO EXPLORE… If the HM Programme just doesn’t cut it for you, SGS has a range of customised and internationally recognised auditing solutions that can be offered as standalone or as a package with the HM Programme.

SGS Academy also offers a comprehensive range of food training in a number of formats. One of these is as Virtual Instructor Led Training, or eLearning. Courses include Food Safety and Food Hygiene for Catering (basic, intermediate and advanced), and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) Introduction.

Innovation is at the heart of SGS. New technologies deliver knowledge, insight, transparency and efficiency for their customers. Through Transparency-One, a digital supply chain solution, SGS are able to ensure clients are managing risk, production and safety to optimal measures. SGS audit certificate, referencing achievement of COVID-19 control requirements.

Because of their international footprint, SGS is able to provide services for practically any business, anywhere. SGS’s global network of local and international experts and laboratories have the capability to help you meet the challenges of COVID-19.

WHAT’S IN THE HM PROGRAMME? • Regular food safety and hygiene audits • Environmental monitoring • Cleaning and disinfection practices • Sampling and testing regime • A dedicated mark of compliance • A SGS audit certificate referencing achievement of

COVID-19 control requirements

THE BENEFITS FOR YOUR BUSINESS The SGS HM mark is a visual demonstration to the consumer,

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www.sgs.com/linkedin of an independently verified hygiene and food safety culture, within an establishment. In addition, the programme can be easily adapted to suit individual requirements based on in-country regulations. The COVID-19 addendum gives extra reassurance to the customer during this unfolding pandemic, and acts as an internal benchmark, allowing continuous improvements in food hygiene.

ALL YOUR DATA IN ONE PLACE An analyst’s and strategist’s dream, SGS offers a user-friendly easy-to-access online reporting platform for clients. The Customised Assessment Tracking System (CATS) is made available as part of the HM Programme. This allows one secure access to audit data and trends in real-time on a smart dashboard.

CONTACT US

SA Offices

Tel: +27 11 800 1000 Email: cbe.southafrica@sgs.com Website: www.sgs.com/food