I. Purpose
Procedure for Halal Quality Certification (hereinafter Procedure) is used to determine the content and sequence of activities undertaken with the aim of proving the compliance of certain products and services with the requirements of Halal standards. Following the step of Procedure ensures the achievement of the required level of confidence in the halal status of products or services, and proper application of the requirements for quality. Responsibility for implementing this Procedure belongs to the Agency, an organization that is subject to certification, and persons participating in the implementation of certain activities.
II. Scope
This procedure is applied in the fields of production and trade of halal products and services for which there are defined requirements in the halal standard and other normative acts that specify the requirements for halal products or services.
III. Normative reference
The Agency provides halal certification services to clients according to the requirements of the following halal standards:
a) BAS Halal standard 1049:2010 - Halal food – requirements and measures
b) OIC/SMIIC 2: 2019 - Guidelines for bodies providing halal certification
c) UAE.S GSO 2055- 1: 2015 - UAE.S GSO 2055- 1: 2015 - HALAL FOOD - Part 1 : General Requirements
d) UAE.S 993 :2015 - UAE.S 993 :2015 - Animal Slaughtering Requirements According to Islamic Rules
e) MS 1500:2019 - Halal food – Production, preparation, handling and storage –general guidelines (Third revision) –Department of Malaysia
IV. The halal certification procedure consists of the following steps:
1. Application form for halal certification
The halal certification process is mainly initiated by the client, or their authorized representative (hereinafter: applicant), regardless of its professional status or relation with applicant concerned. The Agency requires that an authorized representative of the applicant organization submit Application documents, electronically as soft copies, or in printed form, as it is suitable for the applicant. The form of Application for certification of Halal Quality (OB-01-1) is available for download from Agency’s official webpage (www.halal.ba) or can be delivered by e-mail from Agency on applicant demand.
The content of Application documents are defined by the Agency and consist of:
- Application for certification of Halal Quality (OB-01-1)
- List of products for Halal certification (OB-01-2) and
- List of ingredients and suppliers (OB-01-3)
- Attached documents confirming the satisfaction of initial criteria for application.
Application without all three documents is considered incomplete and the Agency communicates with a client and requires from applicant to submit required inputs.
2. Application review
After receiving, the Agency conducts a review of the Application documents and supplementary information for certification to ensure that:
a) the information about the applicant organization and its management system is sufficient to develop an audit program;
b) any known difference in understanding between the Agency and the applicant is resolved;
c) the Agency has the competence and ability to perform the certification activity;
d) the scope of certification sought, the site(s) of the applicant organization’s operations, a time required to complete audits, and any other points influencing the certification activity are taken into account (language, safety conditions, threats to impartiality, etc.).
3. Halal Certification Agreement
The process of halal certification includes the obligation of signing the halal certification Agreement. At the conclusion of the certification contract with clients, the Agency requires the other side to commit on respecting the relevant legal provisions, the requirements of Halal standards and other relevant regulations.
4. Training for internal auditors
Process of Internal Audit of Halal Quality represents an internal assessment of compliance of the system and processes inside of the company in accordance with the requirements of the Halal standard, and includes hard work and efforts. In order of proper, quality, and professional conduction of this process it is necessary to engage the internal auditors of Halal Quality.
The Internal Auditors of Halal Quality conduct the following activities:
- Implementation of requirements of Halal standard in the company
- HrCCP Monitoring (Haram critical control points),
- Internal audit
- Internal education of the coworkers.
In accordance with the necessity Agency organizes the educational training for the candidates who are willing to obtain knowledge of the role of the Internal Auditor of Halal Quality. The company chooses the candidates for the Internal Auditor of Halal Quality and the number of the candidates depends on the size of a company, level of complexity and degree of risk of production. The number of the Internal Auditor in particular company must be sufficient in order to secure quality monitoring of HrCCP and implementation of Internal Audit of Halal Quality.
The main objective of training is to educate and train the candidates for the independent verification/demonstration of halal products, processes and system, traceability verification and conduct an internal audit of halal quality independently.
Training for Internal Auditors of Halal Quality is one day interactive education. The plan and program of the Training are designed by the Department of Education Of Agency for Halal Quality Certification. The lecturers are experts in area of Shariah, economy, food technology, biotechnology, agriculture, veterinary science, medicine, management, standardization, etc.
Successful implementation of the requirements of Halal standard in the company represents the approval of acquired and applied knowledge of the Internal Auditor of Halal Quality. When a company successfully implements the requirements of Halal standard and when the decision of issuing of Halal certificate is made also the decision of issuing certificates for Internal Auditors of Halal Quality is made as well.
Certificate for Internal Auditor of Halal Quality lasts for 3 years.
5. Initial halal certification audit
The initial halal certification audit is the first certification audit of a new applicant by the Agency. The initial audit consists of two phases: the first phase audit and the second phase audit.
AUDIT STAGE 1
The Agency is planning and conducting Stage 1 audit in order to check that the client has the capability to satisfy the requirement of Halal standard. The objectives of the stage 1 audit are to check:
a) the organization has identified PRPs that are appropriate to the business (e.g. regulatory and statutory requirements),
b) the FSMS includes adequate processes and methods for the identification and assessment of the organization’s food safety hazards, and subsequent selection and categorization of control measures (combinations),
c) food safety legislation is in place for the relevant sector(s) of the organization,
d) the FSMS is designed to achieve the organization’s food safety policy,
e) the validation, verification and improvement programs conform to the requirements of the FSMS standard,
f) the FSMS documents and arrangements are in place to communicate internally and with relevant suppliers, customers and interested parties,
g) the FSMS implementation program justifies proceeding to the audit (stage 2),
h) Additional documentation needs to be reviewed and/or what knowledge needs to be obtained in advance.
In determining the interval between stage 1 and stage 2, Agency considers the needs of the client to resolve areas of concern identified during stage 1, and consider the need to repeat all or part of stage 1. Agency informs the client that the results of stage 1 may lead to postponement or cancellation of stage 2. The interval between stage 1 and stage 2 audits is reasonably expected to be no longer than 6 months. The stage 1 audit should be repeated if a longer interval is needed.
AUDIT STAGE 2
Agency conducts stage 2 audit with the purpose to evaluate the implementation of Halal standard requirements, including the effectiveness of the client’s management system. Stage 2 takes place at the site(s) of the client and include the auditing of at least the following:
a) information and evidence about conformity to all requirements of the Halal standard and other related normative documents;
b) information and evidence about conformity to food safety or other applicable requirements;
c) performance monitoring, measuring, reporting and reviewing against key performance objectives and targets;
d) the client’s management system ability and its performance regarding meeting of applicable statutory, regulatory and contractual requirements;
e) operational control of the client’s processes;
f) internal auditing and management review;
g) Management responsibility for the client’s policies.
6. Conclusion of initial certification audit
The audit team appointed by the Agency analyses all information and audit evidence gathered during stage 1 and stage 2 to review the audit findings and agree on the audit conclusions. Agency deliver audit report to Committee for halal certification for review and granting the Decision on Halal certification.
7. Committee for Halal certification
The Committee for Halal Certification makes the decision based on audit reports completed by the Agency. After consideration of findings stated in the report, Committee members agree on their final decision stating that the Agency can grant or to refuse Halal certification to the client. The decision of the Committee shall be made unanimously, not by majority votes.
8. The Decision on issuing the halal certificate
After receiving a positive decision of the Committee for Halal Certification, stating that Agency can grant Halal certification to the client, the Agency prepare Halal certification documents containing Decision on Halal certification (OB-01-8), Halal certificate (diploma) (OB-01-9) and List of Halal certified products/services (OB-01-10).
The document of Decision on Halal certification contains the following information:
a) Decision number and date of issuing;
b) Name and address of client;
c) Scope of granted Halal certification;
d) List of products/services, as an attachment to the Halal certificate;
e) Approval for application of Halal logo;
f) Certification cycle period;
g) Number of Halal certificate document;
h) Agency stamp and signature of authorized representative.
9. Suspending, withdrawing or reducing the scope of certification
The Agency suspend certification in cases when, for example:
- the client’s certified system has persistently or seriously failed to meet Halal certification requirements, including requirements for the effectiveness of the management system;
- the certified client does not allow surveillance or recertification audits to be conducted at the required frequencies;
- the certified client has voluntarily requested a suspension.
Under the suspension, the client’s management system certification is temporarily invalid, and can’t last more than 6 months. The Agency can restore the suspended certification if the issue that has resulted in the suspension has been resolved. Failure to resolve the issues that have resulted in the suspension in a time established by the Agency, it shall result in withdrawal or reduction of the scope of certification.
The Agency reduces the scope of certification to exclude the parts of products, a group of products, production lines or services that not meeting the requirements when the certified client persistently or seriously fails to meet the certification requirements for those parts of the scope of certification. Any such reduction is justified in line with the requirements of Halal standard and recorded.
10. Maintaining certification
The Agency maintains Halal certification based on confirmations that the client continues to satisfy the requirements of the Halal standard. Satisfactory confirmation could be based on positive results and findings of:
a) Surveillance audits organized annually on regular basis,
b) Results of last laboratory testing confirming compliance of products,
c) Inspection visit (other than surveillance) prior to the expiry date of current valid Halal certificate to client’s premises covered at least two processes and performed full traceability analyze for at least one product,
d) Monitoring conducted by competent personnel of the Agency, followed by written report, confirming that certification activity is operating effectively.
