Independent verification by an accredited external body that a food business meets a specified standard.
Because the assessment is done by an independent body that is neither the business being audited nor its customer, which adds credibility to the result.
Generally no. It is usually driven by customer or market requirements, while the mandatory legal obligations come from the Food Standards Code.
Certification bodies are accredited by a national accreditation authority, creating a chain of oversight that supports confidence in their certificates.
Schemes such as SQF, BRCGS, ISO 22000 and FSSC 22000 all rely on independent third-party certification bodies.
Certificates are maintained through scheduled surveillance or recertification audits, so ongoing compliance is needed to keep certification current.