Supplier Approval & Raw Material Management Policy
Part of Food Industry Hub’s FSQMS Policies and Procedures Suite.
The Supplier Approval & Raw Material Management Policy forms part of the Food Industry Hub FSQMS Policies and Procedures Suite.
It establishes the governing commitment for the approval, monitoring and management of suppliers, the procurement and acceptance of raw materials and primary packaging, and the management of outsourced services and outsourced processing where applicable. The policy applies across all products, processes and supply chains within the scope of the site’s Food Safety and Quality Management System.
Its purpose is to ensure that raw materials, ingredients, packaging materials and externally provided services are sourced from approved suppliers operating effective food safety, quality, legality and authenticity controls; are suitable for their intended use; remain traceable through the supply chain; and meet defined specifications, statutory requirements and customer expectations.
Govern supplier and material risk through a documented framework
The policy requires supplier approval and ongoing performance monitoring to be risk-based, documented and effectively implemented. A documented supplier approval and monitoring framework is supported by systematic assessment and review of raw material and packaging risks.
Supplier controls are required to be proportionate to product risk, supply chain complexity and vulnerability to fraud. Decisions relating to supplier approval and raw material management are based on risk assessment, objective evidence and consumer protection, giving the policy a clear governance basis for how supplier and material risk is considered.
Monitor performance and control change before implementation
The policy requires supplier performance to be monitored, reviewed and acted upon where it falls below defined expectations. It also requires changes to suppliers, raw materials, packaging or outsourced processes to be controlled and assessed before implementation.
Supplier management arrangements are integrated with the site’s HACCP system and Food Safety and Quality Management System. This keeps supplier and raw material governance aligned with the wider food safety and product safety requirements that apply within the site’s documented management system.
Define accountability across management, technical and operational functions
Senior management is responsible for providing the human, financial and infrastructural resources needed to implement the policy, approving the supplier management framework and ensuring its ongoing effectiveness. Supplier risks are considered during management review, and senior management supports continual improvement of supplier approval and performance monitoring activities.
Quality and technical management establishes and maintains the documented supplier approval and monitoring procedures, conducts and reviews raw material and supplier risk assessments, and verifies supplier compliance through certification, audit, questionnaires, testing or other risk-based controls. It also manages supplier performance issues and escalation where required and ensures supplier controls align with HACCP and product safety requirements.
Procurement and operational functions are required to purchase only from approved suppliers, ensure changes to suppliers or materials are authorised before implementation, and comply with defined acceptance, handling and verification requirements. All employees are required to follow the applicable supplier and raw material control procedures and report concerns relating to supplier performance, material integrity or product safety.
Put the policy into effect through supporting procedures
The policy sets the governance position; its operational detail is developed through documented procedures. These procedures define supplier approval and re-approval, raw material and packaging risk assessment, acceptance, verification and release of materials, supplier performance monitoring and review, and the management of outsourced services and outsourced processing.
Together, the policy and its supporting procedures provide a structured basis for managing externally supplied inputs within the Food Safety and Quality Management System while preserving clear responsibilities, risk-based decision making and documented controls.