Case Studies

Achieving Global Consistency in Audit Standards

2 minute read

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Catena Solutions partnered with a global food manufacturer to harmonize fragmented regional audit standards into a single, globally applicable framework aligned with FSSC 22000. Through structured collaboration, technical expertise, and stakeholder engagement, Catena delivered a unified standard that enhanced global consistency, improved food safety compliance, and established a scalable foundation for future growth.

The Challenge: Inconsistent Global Audit Standards

A global food manufacturer operating across multiple regions with a diverse supplier network needed to unify its audit standards for co-packers, co-manufacturers, and suppliers into a single global framework aligned with FSSC 22000. Existing documentation was fragmented, US-centric, and inconsistent, creating challenges across international markets. Specific challenges included:

• Disparate audit standards across regions and supplier types
• Limited internal bandwidth and expertise to lead a harmonization effort
• Inconsistent structure and formatting across legacy documents
• The need to align with global food safety standards and hygienic design principles

The project goal was to create a single, comprehensive global audit standard that consolidated existing materials, met global food safety requirements, and could be applied consistently across the organization’s supply chain.

The Solution: A Unified, Expert-Led Approach

The client engaged Catena Solutions for leadership, technical expertise, and structure to guide the process efficiently and ensure compliance with industry best practices. Our approach included:

• Project Kickoff & Meeting Coordination: Facilitated alignment among cross-functional stakeholders through weekly status meetings to maintain momentum.
• Technical Writer Support: Provided direction and oversight to the client’s assigned Technical Standards Writer, ensuring formatting consistency and content alignment.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Coordinated with internal SMEs to validate content and ensure operational relevance.
• Audit Standard Document: Consolidated multiple reference sources into a unified standard aligned with FSSC 22000, incorporating an appendix for hygienic design and additional international requirements beyond the original scope.

Our team brought over 15 years of experience in food safety, quality, and compliance across food, dietary supplements, and pharmaceuticals, including hands-on expertise in FSSC 22000 implementation, supplier auditing, and FDA inspection readiness. This ensured the final document was not only globally compliant but also practical for day-to-day use.

“This is exactly what we needed to bring clarity and consistency to our audit process. The structure and leadership provided made all the difference.” – Senior Quality Assurance Leader

The Benefit: A Scalable, Global Standard for Consistency & Compliance

The project delivered a single, standardized audit document applicable to all suppliers, co-packers, and co-manufacturers worldwide. Key outcomes:

Facing similar challenges with inconsistent standards and documentation? Contact us to discuss how Catena Solutions can help.