OUR TRAINING PROGRAMS
BRCGS was established in the United Kingdom in 1996 by some of the world’s leading retailers seeking to harmonize food safety standards across the supply chain.
Originally established under the name British Retail Consortium, the trade association first published the BRC Technical Standard in 1998.
The organization released Version 8 in 2018 and was acquired by LGC Group, an international life sciences measurement and testing company, in 2016. In 2019, the standard was rebranded in line with its purpose as Brand Reputation through Compliance Global Standards.
Today, the organization is recognized worldwide across both food and non-food categories and operates one of the most rigorous third-party certification schemes of its kind. It has established a comprehensive framework for international food safety standards, providing significant assurance worldwide through the standardization of food safety criteria and monitoring procedures.
Today, BRCGS Standards are used by more than 30,000 companies in 130 countries. To find out which companies are BRCGS certified, you can search the “BRCGS Directory” portal.
This professional training programme was developed to help individuals around the world keep up with the latest trends in food safety and distinguish themselves in their field. The Professional designation and personalized badge awarded upon completion demonstrate that participants have completed key methodological and critical training courses.
BRCGS Professional, one of the world’s largest product safety communities, lists participants in the BRCGS Professional Directory.
Under the programme, the BRCGS-approved training courses shown in the table below must be completed.
BRCGS Professional Programme is an international professional development programme established by BRCGS to enhance the knowledge, competencies, and practical skills of professionals working in product safety. The programme brings together the essential competencies required to implement BRCGS standards effectively, manage product safety risks, improve auditing processes, and develop a sustainable product safety culture within organizations.
Participants who successfully complete the programme attain BRCGS Professional status. This status demonstrates that an individual has successfully completed the training and assessment processes specified by BRCGS and acquired internationally recognized professional competencies in product safety management.
The BRCGS Professional network is an international product safety community that brings together thousands of industry professionals from different countries. The programme supports participants not only in developing their technical knowledge but also in following international best practices, staying informed about industry developments, and expanding their professional networks.
Who Is the BRCGS Professional Programme For?
The programme is designed for professionals working in sectors related to product safety and quality management, particularly food, packaging, storage, and distribution.
It provides a comprehensive professional development pathway for the following groups in particular:
- Quality managers and quality teams,
- Food safety and product safety managers,
- Technical managers and technical teams,
- HACCP team members,
- Internal auditors,
- Personnel responsible for implementing BRCGS systems,
- Food technologists,
- Production and operations managers,
- Auditors and consultants,
- Professionals seeking to specialize in BRCGS or GFSI-recognized standards
Structure of the BRCGS Professional Programme
To attain BRCGS Professional status, participants must complete the three core training modules specified under the programme. The training pathway may be adapted to some extent according to the individual’s role, previous training, and area of expertise.
1. BRCGS Standards Training
In the first stage, participants must successfully complete a BRCGS Standard training course relevant to their field of activity.
This training may cover, for example, BRCGS Food Safety, Packaging Materials, Storage and Distribution or another BRCGS standard relevant to the organization’s operations.
Under the programme structure defined by BRCGS, an appropriate manufacturer or site course, auditor course, lead auditor course, or, where applicable, training on the transition to the current issue of the relevant standard may be accepted. The associated examination or assessment must also be completed successfully.
The main purpose of this stage is to ensure that participants gain a detailed understanding of the following aspects of the selected BRCGS Standard:
- Requirements,
- Audit approach,
- Compliance criteria,
- Documentation structure,
- Product safety and quality management expectations
2. Hazard and Risk Management
The second stage of the programme focuses on competencies in Hazard and Risk Management.
Participants must complete at least one of the following applicable training courses:
- HACCP – Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points Training
- HARA – Hazard Analysis and Risk Assessment Training
- HARPC – Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventive Controls Training
- FSPCA PCQI – Preventive Controls Qualified Individual Training
This module aims to enable participants to systematically identify potential hazards that could threaten product safety, assess risks, and establish appropriate control measures.
The hazard and risk management approach focuses not only on controlling identified hazards but also on assessing the likelihood of their occurrence and their potential impacts. In this way, it helps establish a more proactive and sustainable product safety system within the organization.
3. Product Safety Management
The third stage of the programme focuses on the practical competencies required in day-to-day product safety and quality management activities.
Participants must successfully complete at least three of the following BRCGS training courses:
- Risk Assessment
- Root Cause Analysis
- Validation and Verification
- Internal Auditor
- Vulnerability Assessment for Food Fraud
Each of these courses contributes to the development of a different critical aspect of the product safety management system.
Risk Assessment Training helps organizations systematically assess risks associated with different activities, processes, and products and identify appropriate control measures.
Root Cause Analysis Training seeks to identify the root causes of nonconformities rather than merely their visible consequences. This enables organizations to develop more effective corrective actions to prevent the same nonconformities from recurring.
Validation and Verification Training covers methods for assessing whether control measures implemented within an organization achieve their intended outcomes.
Internal Auditor Training develops the skills needed to plan, conduct, report, and follow up an effective internal audit system within an organization.
Food Fraud Vulnerability Assessment Training supports the identification of economically motivated fraud risks that may arise in raw materials, products, and the supply chain, as well as the development of appropriate preventive measures to address these risks.
Benefits of the BRCGS Professional Programme for Participants
The BRCGS Professional Programme aims not only to award training certificates but also to develop comprehensive professional competence in product safety management.
By the end of the programme, participants are expected to be able to:
- Interpret BRCGS standards more effectively,
- Systematically assess product safety risks,
- Conduct effective root cause analysis of nonconformities,
- Manage verification and validation processes correctly,
- Improve the effectiveness of internal audit systems,
- Manage food and product fraud risks more effectively,
- Integrate BRCGS requirements into their organization’s daily operations,
- Contribute to developing a product safety culture,
- Support their organization’s compliance with BRCGS and GFSI-recognized systems,
- Play a more effective role in safeguarding brand and consumer trust
BRCGS Professional Designation and Digital Badge
After successfully completing the required training and assessments under the programme, participants attain BRCGS Professional status.
BRCGS Professional status indicates that the participant has successfully completed a defined training pathway in product safety management, risk management, BRCGS standards, and related areas of professional competence.
In addition to a BRCGS Professional certificate, successful participants may receive a verifiable digital badge. This digital badge can be used on professional profiles, in email signatures, and on professional platforms such as LinkedIn to demonstrate professional competence.
Being part of the BRCGS Professional community also provides the opportunity to join a shared professional development network of product safety and quality professionals from different countries.
How Long Does It Take to Complete the BRCGS Professional Programme?
The time needed to complete the programme may vary depending on the courses selected, the participant’s field of activity, and any previously completed eligible training.
Taking all programme requirements into account, the training generally takes the form of a comprehensive professional development pathway spread across different days and modules.
If a participant has already successfully completed training accepted under the BRCGS Professional Programme, their pathway may be assessed accordingly.
Some courses in the Product Safety Management module may also be offered together as part of intensive training programmes.
Maintaining BRCGS Professional Status
Becoming a BRCGS Professional is not simply a matter of completing the required training. To keep knowledge and competencies in product safety and quality management up to date, a continuous professional development approach is adopted.
It is important for professionals who hold BRCGS Professional status to regularly follow new industry practices, changes to standards, product safety approaches, and professional developments.
In this context, training courses, industry events, technical activities, and career-related professional development contribute to maintaining BRCGS Professional status.
Through this approach, BRCGS Professional status becomes more than a designation indicating the completion of specific training courses: it represents a long-term professional development system that supports continuous learning and improvement.
Why Choose BRCGS Professional?
Product safety, quality, regulatory compliance, and brand integrity are becoming increasingly important in international supply chains. It is therefore critical for organizations not only to establish systems that comply with standards but also to employ competent personnel who can implement these systems effectively.
BRCGS Professional Programme is designed to help product safety and quality professionals not only learn the requirements of standards but also apply the methods they learn in daily operations.
Through the programme, theoretical knowledge is reinforced by practical competencies such as risk assessment, root cause analysis, internal auditing, verification, validation, and product safety management.
The BRCGS Professional Programme therefore makes an important contribution to:
- Establishing stronger product safety systems within organizations,
- Developing employees’ technical competencies,
- Improving audit performance,
- Managing nonconformities more effectively,
- Strengthening risk-based thinking,
- Supporting a culture of continuous improvement,
- Achieving sustainable compliance with BRCGS standards
BRCGS Professional status is an internationally recognized indicator of competence for professionals seeking to advance their careers in product safety and quality.
