Define the purchase
Separate products from critical services. Laboratories, warehouses and manufacturers need different assessments. Define approval criteria, review frequency and suspension conditions for each category. Purchasing staff should know whether a supplier is approved for the particular product, rather than simply appearing on a general list.
Check identity and scope
Compare legal identity, site, activities, products and validity. For traders, identify the necessary information about origin and supply chain. Check any cross-scheme recognition conditions for the actual case. A logo on letterhead does not provide this evidence.
Review performance and changes
Record complaints, analytical results, documentation delays, deviations and relevant communications. A good history does not remove the risk of a process or site change. Apply proportionate reassessment so resources focus on the most critical suppliers and services.
Control exceptions
For urgent or unusual purchases, define who can approve, indispensable information and applicable limits. Exceptions should comply with scheme requirements and should not become a routine shortcut. Repeated exceptions call for changes to planning or the supplier base.
Three questions for your team
- Who makes the decision, and using which information?
- Which record reconstructs what happened?
- How do we verify that the control works?
Practical guidance, not a replacement for applicable law or requirements. Consult the official documents linked from the scheme pages for your scope.
