Each year, Vos Transport Zaltbommel’s business processes and provision of services are subjected to a complete internal audit, in order to establish whether the firm is to be awarded a Skal certificate for the year ahead. The latest audit was performed in December 2016. The outcome: we have also been awarded the Skal certificate for 2017, an achievement of which we are rather proud.
Regulations pertaining to organic produce tightened
It is no simple matter for a logistics service provider to acquire a Skal certificate. In fact, it has become quite difficult in recent years, as the prevailing standards for the storage and transport of organic products are increasingly stringent. Both the inspections and regulations applicable have to be more tightly observed, as organic products become increasingly popular. Vos Transport Zaltbommel appreciates the need for tighter regulation, and therefore proactively improved its business processes and equipment.
Guarantee to our customers
In the case of customers who carry organic products, it is no longer sufficient that they themselves acquire Skal Certification. The logistics partner, who stores and transports their products, also requires a certificate. As a fulfilment partner in the logistics process, it is therefore essential that Vos Transport Zaltbommel also successfully completes the SKAL certification procedure. After all, this serves as a guarantee to our customers that the logistics processes in which their organic products are involved are carried out in accordance with the applicable standards and regulations.
Multi-faceted audit for Skal certificate
The following matters are among those closely examined for the purposes of Skal certification:
- Description of business processes (in this case: storage, transhipment and transport)
- Risk analysis
- Process entry check
- Process segregation of contemporary and organic products/storage
- Process traceability
- Registration of complaints
Who is SKAL and what does organic mean?
The Skal Foundation is the inspection authority for organic products in the Netherlands. Skal is therefore dedicated to proving the reliability of organic products. The Ministry of Economic Affairs (EZ) designated the Skal Foundation as the Netherlands’ sole inspection authority in this field. The foundation is an independent body which carries out the certification of organic businesses on the basis of inspection, random sampling and monitoring.
A product may only be called organic if it has been certified in accordance with the applicable regulations. Certification may only be awarded if the product (and the entire preceding production chain) is subject to continuous monitoring. Skal is in charge of the certification of all organic farming produce in the Netherlands.