Regulation of the initial IFS Food

approval and the re-approval

process for auditors

IFS Food version 6

VERSION 1

Valid from: 10.03.2012

 Regulation of the initial IFS Food approval and the re-approval
process for auditors - IFS Food version 6

Table of contents

PART 1: IFS FOOD EXAMINATION PROCESS 3

I. General rules for IFS Food examinations 3
§ 1 Purpose of the examinations 3
§ 2 Nature of the examinations 3
§ 3 General requirements for admission to the IFS examinations 3
§ 4 Languages of examination 4
§ 5 Breach of regulations 4
§ 6 Communication of the examinations results 4
§ 7 Inspection/review of examination documents 4
§ 8 Objections and complaints 4
§ 9 Registration as an IFS auditor 4
§ 10 Maintenance of the approval after change of IFS version 4
§ 11 Rules in case of cancellation of participation of candidates 4
§ 12 Basis for evaluation of the general written exam, tech scope(s) exam and oral exam 5

II. Specific rules for IFS Food re-approval 6

§ 13 Conditions of admission at the re-approval process: participation in the calibration training to
maintain the auditors certificate. 6
§ 14 Maintenance of approval after the two years period (= re-approval) 7
§ 15 Conditions of validity of certificate: 7

PART 2: RULES FOR THE WRITTEN EXAMINATION 8

§ 16 Application process for the written examination 8
§ 17 Tech scope(s) exam, in addition to general scope extension requirements 8
§ 18 Duration of the written examination 8
§ 19 Conditions of cancellation of an examination session 8
§ 20 Material and examination documents to bring/provided/forbidden 8
§ 21 Rules during the examination 9

PART 3: RULES FOR THE ORAL EXAMINATION 10

§ 22 Application process for the oral examination 10
§ 23 Code of conduct of examiners 10
§ 24 Oral examination session 10
§ 25 Procedure of the oral exam session 10
§ 26 Material to bring/provided/forbidden for the candidate 11

Valid from: 10.03.2012

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 Regulation of the initial IFS Food approval and the re-approval
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Part 1: IFS Food examination process

These general rules are in constant development, based on the continuous experience made
and on the IFS improvement process.

I. General rules for IFS Food examinations

§ 1 Purpose of the examinations
- To assure and maintain auditor competences:
- To examine the candidates’ professional knowledge about:
the IFS content
food legislation and special food issues,
food technology related to food safety and product conformity including basic
food processing techniques
how to apply the IFS (case studies)
- Candidates shall be able to identify the specific coherence, to interpret them and to
evaluate them impartially as an auditor.

§ 2 Nature of the examinations

The IFS examination process has 2 parts: one written and one oral. In general, the oral part of
the examinations shall take place after the successful participation in the written examination.

The written exam is divided into 2 main sections:

o General exam (independent of product and tech scopes the auditor was
confirmed for)
• Part 1: Questions about the IFS Food content,
• Part 2: Questions about legislation, special food issues and
elementary food processing techniques (tech scope F),
• Part 3: Evaluation of case studies.
o Tech scope(s) exam (dependent of the tech scopes the auditor was confirmed
for)
Maximum 5 parts: technical questions about tech scopes (depending on the
tech scope(s) the auditors was confirmed for).
Depending on how many tech scopes the auditor was confirmed for, the tech scope(s)
specific exam may include maximum 5 parts, if the auditor was confirmed for 5 tech
scopes (tech scopes A, B, C, D, and E). Each part consists of questions related to the
relevant tech scope and is assessed independently.
To be approved for (a) tech scope(s), the candidate shall pass the general written exam
and the tech scope exam(s) he applied for.
See also § 12 for the conditions of success.

The oral examination is intended to assess candidates’ suitability as auditors and their
specific professional knowledge needed for the specific food scopes, by analysing a case
study.

For all questions regarding the examinations, the IFS offices shall be contacted.

§ 3 General requirements for admission to the IFS examinations

Candidates shall fulfil the requirements laid down in the current IFS Standard. For the IFS
Food version 6, it is part 3, chapter 3.

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§ 4 Languages of examination
See chapters 2 and 3 of part 3 of IFS Food version 6.

§ 5 Breach of regulations
Breach of regulation leads to an immediate two years exclusion from the admission procedure
for IFS auditors. Breach may include:
attempting to cheat in the examinations,
the falsification of reports.
Exclusion for two years from the examinations requires the confirmation by the IFS
examination working group. More generally, if a candidate or a certification body does not
respect the examination rules, admittance of one or both may be withdrawn.

§ 6 Communication of the examinations results

The examinations results will be communicated by the IFS offices to the candidates via the
certification body.

§ 7 Inspection/review of examination documents

After the communication of the examination results, candidates who failed, and/or the
corresponding trainer of the certification body, may have a view in their examination
documents:
- no later than in the four weeks following the communication of the results and
- not in the four weeks period prior to their own next written examination session, in the
presence of a person nominated by the IFS offices.
However, candidates may not make copies of the documents nor take notes nor bring with
them the IFS Standard. The IFS offices commit to keep the last valid examination documents.

§ 8 Objections and complaints

Objections or complaints arising from IFS examinations should be made in written form and
addressed to the IFS offices within 7 days after having been published by IFS offices, which
shall be responsible for the appropriated actions to be taken.

§ 9 Registration as an IFS auditor

See chapters 2 and 3 of part 3 of IFS Food version 6.

§ 10 Maintenance of the approval after change of IFS version

See chapter 2.6, part 3 of IFS Food version 6.
In case of update/modification of the scope names and/or numbers by the IFS offices,
auditors’ scopes would be updated accordingly (this update may be based on further objective
documents or evidences requested by the IFS offices).

§ 11 Rules in case of cancellation of participation of candidates

- the certification bodies shall inform the IFS offices immediately if a candidate is unable
to attend at the confirmed examination session,
- unexcused failure to appear at the written and oral examination will be rated as not
passed,
- if the IFS offices are not informed at latest 5 days before the exam takes place, the
costs of exam for the candidate will be charged to the certification body,
- in case of late cancellation due to unexpected circumstances, the IFS offices shall be
informed immediately and objective and documented evidences shall be provided to
the IFS offices. A decision about the exam fee will be made on individual level.

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§ 12 Basis for evaluation of the general written exam, tech scope(s) exam and oral exam
- The required minimum scores (in percentage) to get in order to pass the general
written exam is 60 % for the whole exam and 50 % for each part of the exam.
- In general, the requirement for participating in an oral examination is to have previously
passed at least the general written examination.
- If a candidate fails at the written general examination, a second attempt is accepted. If
the second attempt also results in a failure, two years must elapse before the general
examination can be repeated. The date for a new registration is 2 years later, from the
date of the last written examination.
- For passing a tech scope exam, the auditor needs, as a pre-requisite, to pass the
general written exam. Each tech scope exam is evaluated independently and is
evaluated as passed when the score of at least 60% is reached. In case of failure,
he/she can attend a second time. After a second failure, he/she will be blocked for one
year for the respective tech scope. The date for a new registration is 1 year later, from
the date of the last tech scope written examination. If the auditor passes one of the
tech scope exams, he/she is approved for this tech scope, independently of the results
of the other tech scopes exams. If an auditor fails the general written and/or oral
exam, he/she will not receive any approval for (a) tech scope(s).
Example: An auditor requested scopes B, C, D and E. He passed the general exam.
He reached over 60% for tech scopes B and D exams but failed for tech scopes C and
E exams. So he is finally approved for tech scopes B and D and is allowed to perform
IFS Food audits for these tech scopes. He can attend a second time the tech scope
exams where he failed and in case of passing those exams, he will be approved for
these tech scopes too. In case of second failure, he will be blocked for 1 year for
scopes C and E.
- A candidate who has passed at least the general written examination is admitted to the
oral examination. The oral examination can be repeated should a candidate fail at the
first attempt; the candidate will then be admitted to the next possible oral examination.
On repeated failure, the candidate may only participate in IFS Food examinations after
2 years have elapsed, taking both parts again. The date for a new registration is 2
years later, from the date of the last general written examination
Note: the oral examination has to be done no later than 1 year after having passed the
general written examination. This includes the 1st and 2nd attempt of oral examination.
- If the written and the oral examinations occur at the same time, for exceptional
reasons, the whole examination shall be repeated should a candidate does not pass
the written examination
- For tech scope extension requests, the same rules as the tech scope exams apply.
Only approved auditors are allowed to request a tech scope extension. The auditor can
apply for one or more tech scopes when he/she fulfils the requirements which are
defined in chapter 3, part 3 of the IFS Food standard.

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II. Specific rules for IFS Food re-approval

§ 13 Conditions of admission at the re-approval process: participation in the calibration

training to maintain the auditors’ certificate
The calibration training course will be organised by IFS, led by approved calibration trainers
and with IFS validated training material.

A candidate who applies for the calibration training has to fulfil the following conditions:
- Fulfil the requirements laid down in the current IFS Food standard. For the IFS Food
version 6, it is part 3, chapter 3.
- Have performed a minimum number of ten (10) IFS Food audits in the last 24 months
(Logistics, Broker, Cash & carry and HPC audits are not taken into consideration ; the
audits shall have been performed as lead auditor or co-auditor, but not as trainee and
uploaded in the IFS database).
- Have been monitored by an IFS on-site witness audit at least once every 2 years.
- Have been trained internally, each year, during a 2-day course.

The certification body shall ensure that the auditors fulfil all the above rules to maintain
their qualifications.

Applications to the calibration course shall be sent to the IFS offices, with the updated CV’s of
all auditors who would like to attend.
All auditors have to participate at the full training, otherwise he/she will be evaluated as not
passed.
Trainers of the calibration course shall identify if the participants of the calibration course have
any inappropriate behaviour and, if this happens, shall notify it to the IFS offices.
The first mandatory calibration training shall be successfully completed before the end of
second calendar year following the date on which the initial examination was successfully
completed. Then, the re-approval shall be managed every two (2) calendar years, based on
the same rule.

Example:
Date of passed initial oral examination: 25th of May 2012
Date of end of validity for IFS auditor certificate (initial approval): 31st of December 2014
Auditor shall participate in calibration training course between 1st January 2014 and 31st of
December 2014.
The auditor is authorised to perform IFS Food audits between 25th May 2012 and 31st
December 2014.
In 2014, if the auditor has performed 10 IFS Food audits, and if he/ she has participated in the
calibration training course, e.g. the 8th and 9th September 2014, the new end validity date of
IFS auditor certificate (re-approval) is: 31st December 2016.
If one of these these rules (a minimum number of 10 IFS Food audits in the last 24 months - ,
participation in a calibration training course in time, yearly in-house training and monitoring by
an IFS on-site witness audits) are not fulfilled, the auditor shall participate again in the IFS
initial examination (general written exam, tech scope(s) exam and oral exam).
Each year, on 1st January, the IFS database will automatically check if the auditor took part at
a 2-days calibration training in the second year of his approval.
Each year, on 1st of March, the IFS database will send to IFS offices automatic notifications if
the auditors have not performed 10 IFS Food audits in the last 2 years.
In this case, the certification bodies will receive a notification from IFS, which informs that the
auditors’ approval is suspended and that the auditor will have to participate in the initial exam
process at the nearest possible exam date, in order to recover the IFS approval.

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Note: a co-auditor shall be an IFS Food approved auditor, competent for at least one product
and/or tech scope related to the company audit scope (except tech scope F). If the auditor is
not an IFS Food approved auditor at all or not approved for the relevant product/tech scope,
the auditor shall not be registered in the IFS database as a co-auditor but as a trainee.
In case of registration in initial conditions to the written examination, due to non-fulfilment of
IFS requirements for the calibration training, (e.g. IFS auditor with less than 10 IFS Food
audits after 2 years) and if the candidate fails the 1st attempt and still has a valid certificate,
then the candidate is allowed to perform further IFS audits until the expiry date of auditor
certificate.

§ 14 Maintenance of approval after the two years period (= re-approval)

See general process for IFS written and oral initial exams and calibration training (see Annex
1).
After the 2-years period, the candidate has to participate in the re-approval process.
Depending on the amount of performed IFS Food audits, the auditor may take part at the
calibration training or has to start again under initial conditions (see also paragraph 13).

§ 15 Conditions of validity of certificate

In general the certificate is valid until 31.12. of the 2nd following year.
Example:
Written exam passed: 04.07.2012
Oral exam passed: 04.09.2012
Auditor certificate valid until: 31.12.2014

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Part 2: Rules for the written examination and tech scope exam
§ 16 Application process for the written examination
- The certification bodies have to send validated and signed application files of their
auditors to the IFS offices for registration. The deadline for registration (application files
correctly completed) is in general 4 to 6 weeks before the beginning of the examination
session. If the application files are not complete at the first deadline, the candidate(s)
shall complete it within 5 working days; otherwise the registration may be rejected.
- If all the requirements of the application files are fulfilled, confirmations will be sent to
the candidate via the certification body with the date, time and place of the written
examination, in general two weeks before the written examination. (The certification
bodies are responsible for the communication with candidates).
- Respect of deadline: registrations which are sent after the deadline will not be taken
into consideration.

§ 17 Tech scope(s) exam, in addition to general scope extension requirements

The tech scope(s) exam can be done directly following the initial exam. In case of scope(s)
extension, it can be done independently, during any examination session.
In general, the same rules as for the initial exam apply.
For extension of tech scope(s), auditors shall provide the same evidence as for initial approval
and shall additionally pass a tech scope written examination organised by IFS offices.
The auditors can only perform IFS audits according to the scopes stated by IFS.

§ 18 Duration of the written examination

- The duration for the general written examination of the IFS Food in its current version
is 2 hours.
- After the general exam, the IFS supervisor collects the exam documents.
- After a short break, the applicants have to attend the tech scope(s) exam for each
requested and confirmed tech scope. The duration for one tech scope exam is 20
minutes. That means if an auditor has to participate at a maximum of 5 tech scope
exam parts, it will take 100 minutes (1 hour and 40 minutes).

§ 19 Conditions of cancellation of an examination session

- A session can be cancelled if the minimum number of candidates can not be reached
(10 persons). The decision, if it occurs, will be communicated in general one week after
the deadline for registration.
- In specific countries an examination can take place even if the minimum amount of
candidates can not be reached; the decision about the examination will be made by the
IFS offices in general 3 weeks before.

§ 20 Material and examination documents to bring/provided/forbidden

- Material provided: one examination document for the initial general exam and
additionally exam document for the tech scope(s) exam. Notes can be taken on the
examination document but no other papers are allowed.
- One examination document per session: the document will be chosen and provided by
the IFS offices. The document shall be kept confidential until its communication to the
candidates during the written examination
- Authorised material for the examination: a pen and not a pencil
- Mobile phones are not allowed and have to be switched off.

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- Examination documents will be provided only when the door of the examination room
is closed.

§ 21 Rules during the examination

- Each candidate shall sign the presence sheet when he/she enters the exam room.
- The supervisor will check the identity of all the candidates
- No late participants will be accepted once the door is closed and the documents
distributed.
- No entering and leaving the exam room during the examination is accepted. If a
candidate wants to go out, he/she has to inform the supervisor(s). As soon as the first
person leaves the room definitively, no other persons are allowed to leave and enter
again.
- On the first page of the examination document, the name of the candidate or a number
linked to his/her name shall be mentioned.
- After the general written exam, there will be short break. Then the tech scope exam
starts.
- As soon as one candidate has left the tech scope exam, no other person is allowed to
leave and come in again.

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Part 3: Rules for the oral examination

§ 22 Application process for the oral examination
- Only the candidates who have passed at least the general written examination after
one or two attempts or the candidates who failed once at the oral session can be
registered.
- The certification bodies will inform the IFS offices about the date when the candidate
wants to participate in the oral examination.
- If candidates have applied for several languages, the IFS offices have the right to
choose the language of examination.
- IFS offices will announce and confirm the place of examination.
- IFS offices determine the case study for the oral examination and prepare the
documentation for the oral examination.
- For the second attempt of the oral examination, the IFS offices may choose a case
study which is different from the one provided for the first attempt.
- If the candidate declares and confirmed by signing that he/she is not competent for the
scope and the respective case study provided for this examination, he/she can make
the decision to be withdrawn from the examination (the examination is suspended). In
this case the scope will be eliminated from the candidate’s CV.
• If the candidate’s CV had been approved for other scopes, the candidate has
the possibility to participate in the next oral exam session with a case study
related to one of these other scopes. This new participation is considered as a
second attempt.
• If the candidate’s CV had only been approved with the cancelled scope, then
the candidate shall start the complete exam process since the beginning, with a
new validated CV.
- In case of obvious IFS offices mistake by choosing the case study, the IFS expert can
change the case study (scope) before the exam starts.

§ 23 Code of conduct of examiners

As far as possible and in general, examiners shall have a clear record of independence from
each of the candidates. In case of doubt, this shall be officially declared by the relevant
examiners and he/she can decide not to participate in the final evaluation of the candidate.

Candidates who failed for the first attempt at the oral examination should be in general re-
examined by at least one new examiner.

To ensure confidentiality, the examiners have to sign a confidentiality letter concerning the
following topics:
- data security (persons, results, documents, contents of exams),
- independency.

§ 24 Oral examination session

- A session corresponds to one or several consecutive days (in general 8 candidates per
day).
- If at the day of the deadline, there are less than 6 candidates per day, the day of
examination may be cancelled.

§ 25 Procedure of the oral exam session

One hour per candidate:

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Maximum 5 minutes for the verification of the identity and introduction. The candidate
shall sign the presence sheet before the beginning of the examination.
In general 10 minutes for the preparation of the case study.
Minimum 30 minutes for oral examination (simulation of the audit situation and/or
questions on technical competences related to case study). This phase includes the time
necessary for the candidate to draw up conclusions, in particular to assign a clear IFS-
score (A, B, C, D, Major, KO) for identified IFS Food requirements discussed during the
previous phase.
The candidate leaves the room while the examiners discuss performance and make
decision about outcome (passed or failed).
The result shall be communicated to the candidate and –if this is the case- the reason of
failure shall be explained to the candidate. In case of combined exams (written and oral)
at the same session, this rule may be adapted.
Records are taken in form of key words / input of examiners and questions and answers
of candidates.
Summary of important points of the evaluation of the candidate should also be
documented.
All the material and documents provided by the examiners (including notes taken by
candidate on paper) shall be given back at the end of the examination to the IFS offices.

§ 26 Material to bring/provided/forbidden for the candidate

The IFS offices shall provide:
- the case study (for the simulation of the audit situation), linked with the scope(s) the
candidate would like to be approved for,
- some sheets of blank paper,
- one IFS Food Standard in the language of the examination.

Everything else is forbidden (e.g. electronic devices).

ANNEX 1: flow chart for the initial examination process and re-approval process

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