FSSC 24000 - Social Management Systems
Manage social sustainability and performance requirements and consistently meet customer expectations, build trust and contribute to UN SDGs.
Issues and problems related to human rights are increasing rather than decreasing. The FSSC 24000 certification scheme for social management systems aims to improve labour relationships, health and safety at work, and work and business ethics with a management system approach that drives continuous improvement on critical social issues.
Certification of your social management system demonstrates your commitment to consistency, continual improvement and customer satisfaction. These are tangible business benefits that play an important part in building resilience and sustainable business performance.
What is FSSC 24000?
Certification to FSSC 24000 is applicable to organizations in the manufacturing and processing sector (food and non-food) including their related service provision.
FSSC 24000 is a social management system scheme developed to assist organizations in the consumer goods industry to meet social sustainability and performance requirements.
Developed by the Foundation FSSC, it is an audit and certification scheme incorporating the internationally recognized, independent standard PAS 24000. It aligns with the ISO management system and risk-based approach and is aimed at helping organizations to meet their social objectives and performance.
The scheme sets requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining and continually improving a social management system.
The purpose of the scheme is to ensure the following:
- The organization can fulfil all tasks required to achieve its social objectives.
- Workers within the organization and along its supply chain are treated fairly and are provided with a safe working environment that is not detrimental to their health.
- Compliance with relevant statutory and regulatory requirements.
Benefits of becoming certified
Checking that your social management system works is vital. Certification to FSSC 24000 by an independent third-party verifies how your system is performing and demonstrates your organization’s commitment to meeting social and sustainability objectives.
As a result:
- Build trust in your social management system’s performance internally and externally by applying effective quality management principles within the organization.
- Implement a structured approach to continually improve processes and knowing where to focus efforts.
- Demonstrate conformity to specified social management system requirements.
- Consistently provide products and services that meet specified minimum social requirements and applicable customer and regulatory requirements.
- Enhance customer confidence and satisfaction, which in turn can lead to increased business.
- Gain a significant competitive advantage by meeting any system certification business requirements from customers, suppliers and sub-contractors in order to conduct business with them.
Getting started
To be certified, you first need to implement an effective social management system complying with the scheme’s requirements. DNV is an accredited third-party certification body and can help you throughout the journey starting from relevant FSSC 24000 training to self-assessments, gap analysis and certification services.
Learn more about how to get started on the road to certification.
