Independent inspections
In addition to internal and external inspections, our products and processes are also inspected by independent, accredited certification bodies.
Certificates and audit reports for each location can be found on the location pages.
ISO 9001:2015 – International Organisation for Standardisation
ISO – International Organisation for Standardisation: Vion implements the DIN EN ISO 9001:2015 as quality management system. The cornerstones of this standard are: customer satisfaction, continuous improvement of the production processes and products, and a risk-based approach. For more information, go to www.iso.org.
BRC Food and IFS Food
The BRC Food (Worldwide Food Safety Standard) and IFS Food (International Featured Standards Food) standards have been developed to specify food safety by means of quality-related and operational criteria. All Vion production companies have implemented the BRC and/or IFS standard and are certified under these standards. In this way, Vion guarantees a uniform quality standard in all production companies, based on a reliable test system. The BRC Food and IFS Food are standards for food-processing companies. Both standards include the following themes:
- Commitment of senior management/corporate responsibility
- An HACCP plan
- A quality-oriented management system
- Conditional programmes
- Measurements, analyses, improvements
For more information about IFS Food, the requirements and the assessment criteria, go to www.ifs-certification.com. For more information about BRC Food, the requirements and the assessment criteria, go to www.brcglobalstandards.com.
Additional quality systems
Several locations are certified for additional quality systems, such as BLK or organic. To control risks in the supply chain, Vion encourages its suppliers to adhere to and certify their activities under a Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) scheme, such as QS or IKB.
IKB - Comprehensive Chain Management
IKB Pork has been developed as a benchmark for the responsible production of pork. Spearheads are quality, animal welfare and food safety. For more information, go to www.ikbvarken.nl.
QS - Qualität und Sicherheit
QS (Qualität und Sicherheit, or Quality and Safety) is a quality system for meat and meat products in Germany. From food producers and livestock farmers to retail – all steps in the production process are regularly inspected by independent certifying bodies. For more information, go to www.q-s.de/en/.
BLK - Beter Leven quality mark
Vion markets meat from animals reared in companies that implement the animal welfare standards of the Dutch Society for the Protection of Animals. These standards are determined for individual animal species and relate, among other things, to more living space and extra play material. All companies in the chain are checked and certified to guarantee that meat with the BLK logo in supermarkets actually comes from animals reared in a BLK company. For more information, go to www.beterleven.dierenbescherming.nl/english .
Organic
Vion markets organic meat that meets the criteria of EC Regulation EC 1804/1999. This regulation contains the requirements for livestock farmers (including animal welfare and feed requirements), farmers (for the production of animal feed and plant-based ingredients for finished products) and all processors in the chain. These requirements are checked by an independent certifying body. In the Netherlands, this is SKAL. You can find the certificates and audit reports on the pages of the individual Vion locations, in so far they are bio-certified.
