FSMS - ORGANIZATION AND ITS CONTEXT (Part 1)

In previous posts we have analysed the context of the standard ISO 22000: 2018, from the
information with which the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) presents on its
website both the management system standards, and this standard in particular.

We analysed the introductory elements, such as the foreword of the standard itself and its clauses
0 Introduction, 1 Scope, 2 Normative references, 3 Terms and definitions, and ended with
complementary elements, such as the bibliography and informative annexes of the standard.

However, before delving into the text of the standard, that is, of the normative elements that
make up the technical body of ISO 22000: 2018, which are those that comprise clauses 4 to 10, I
would like to make some general comments, which I hope will help you to better understand
these requirements and how to apply them.

I will begin by commenting that both this standard and the others that the ISO has issued
referring to management systems, identify practices that are used by some organizations,
generally leaders in their areas of competence and that are considered benchmarks of the "state
of the art" in terms of management. They are not invented by ISO technical committees,
although they are presented, analysed and voted to take part of these standards. Similarly, it is
important to mention that when a requirement is included in some international standard, it is
because it´s considered that it will generate greater benefit than the cost that may represent for an
organization in complying with it. None of these requirements is included in a standard for
increasing life difficulties for organizations, their managers or their staff.

Therefore, we should consider that if an organization decides that it is going to implement a

standardized food safety management system, as in this topic, it is very important that its
managers and key personnel could understand the value of each of the requirements, and have
the competence for knowing, interpreting and applying them correctly, in order to generate that
value and achieve the expected benefits of applying the entire management system.

In order to start with the establishment of a food safety management system, for example, it is
very important that we can understand that the application of all the requirements that are
included in the standard ISO 22000: 2018 is intended to be established and controlled, by an
organization that produces food, or deliver food services, a system that allows it to manage the
safety of those foods. However, unlike what many people believe, the standard does not require
that a management system be “invented”, but rather that any organization should have a
management system already established and within that, are identified and controlled all the
elements that the standard establishes as requirements, since it is considered that by applying all
the applicable requirements of the standard, confidence is generated in the way in which the
organization manages that food safety that it provides.

I do not intend to confuse you with this apparent tongue twister, but rather I want to reinforce the
concept that organizations, before trying to establish a food safety management system (FSMS),
should previously have a management system that allows them to control all key activities for
them. We can visualize this management system as follows:

 
For this, they must have a series of support elements, such as those relating to their strategic
planning, within which they would establish their mission, vision and general objectives; those
referring to its tactical and operational planning, its organization, its specific objectives, tactical
and operational plans; its documented technical support, including design papers, manuals,
procedures, instructions, and its support of documented evidence or records. Under this
consideration, the management system can be viewed as follows:

 
Now, if we develop a food safety management system from this system, each element of the
system should be adapted in accordance with the different requirements of ISO 22000: 2018, so
we could visualize it as follows:

 
 

As you can see, in this figure we can find the documentation of the food safety management
system totally embedded in the general documentation system.
In some of the following articles, we will be analysing the requirements established in clause 4
Context of the organization, of the standard ISO 22000: 2018.