Standards Comparison

    BRC

    Voluntary
    2022

    Global standard for food safety in manufacturing and packing

    VS

    23 NYCRR 500

    Mandatory
    2017

    NY regulation for financial services cybersecurity.

    Quick Verdict

    BRC ensures food safety certification for global manufacturers via audits and HACCP, while 23 NYCRR 500 mandates cybersecurity for NY financial firms with MFA, risk assessments, and 72-hour reporting. Food firms adopt BRC for retailer access; financials comply to avoid fines.

    Food Safety

    BRC

    BRCGS Global Standard for Food Safety Issue 9

    Cost
    €€€€
    Complexity
    High
    Implementation Time
    6-12 months

    Key Features

    • Prescriptive site standards for building fabric and hygiene
    • Annual third-party audits with AA/A/B grading system
    • GFSI-benchmarked for global retailer supply chain acceptance
    • HACCP-based food safety plan with robust PRPs
    • Unannounced audit option promoting daily operational readiness
    Financial Services

    23 NYCRR 500

    23 NYCRR Part 500

    Cost
    €€€€
    Complexity
    High
    Implementation Time
    18-24 months

    Key Features

    • CEO/CISO dual annual compliance certification
    • 72-hour cybersecurity incident notification
    • Phishing-resistant MFA for high-risk access
    • TPSP contracts with MFA/encryption clauses
    • Annual penetration testing and vulnerability management

    Detailed Analysis

    A comprehensive look at the specific requirements, scope, and impact of each standard.

    BRC Details

    What It Is

    BRCGS Global Standard for Food Safety Issue 9 is a prescriptive, GFSI-benchmarked certification framework for food manufacturers, processors, and packers. It ensures safe, legal, and authentic products through detailed site controls, HACCP plans, and operational rigor, targeting retail supply chains globally.

    Key Components

    • Nine core clauses: senior management commitment, HACCP food safety plan, FSQMS, site standards, product/process control, personnel, risk zones, traded products.
    • Fundamental requirements like internal audits, traceability, allergen management.
    • Built on Codex HACCP principles with PRPs; annual third-party audits yield AA/A/B grades.

    Why Organizations Use It

    Provides retailer acceptance, reduces audit duplication, mitigates recall risks from pathogens/allergens. Enhances efficiency (5-12% OPEX savings), builds consumer trust, unlocks private-label markets. Voluntary but often contractually required.

    Implementation Overview

    Phased roadmap: gap analysis, remediation (Section 4 priorities), training (ATP/TTT), mock audits. Suits SMEs (via START) to multinationals; 6-12 months typical; requires certification body audits.

    23 NYCRR 500 Details

    What It Is

    23 NYCRR Part 500 is the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) Cybersecurity Regulation, a mandatory state regulation for financial services entities. Its primary purpose is safeguarding nonpublic information (NPI) and ensuring operational resilience against cyber threats. It employs a risk-based yet prescriptive approach, requiring evidence-based outcomes via governance, controls, and reporting.

    Key Components

    • 14 core requirements: cybersecurity program, CISO governance, risk assessments, MFA, encryption, access privileges, TPSP oversight, pen testing, incident response, and annual certification.
    • Anchored in annual Risk Assessments using frameworks like NIST CSF or CRI Profile.
    • Dual CEO/CISO certification annually by April 15, with 5-year record retention; enhanced for Class A companies (e.g., >$20M NY revenue).

    Why Organizations Use It

    • Legal mandate for NY-licensed banks, insurers, avoiding multimillion-dollar fines (e.g., Robinhood $30M).
    • Strengthens governance, vendor management, incident readiness.
    • Boosts resilience, insurance premiums, stakeholder trust in competitive financial markets.

    Implementation Overview

    • Phased roadmap: gap analysis, asset inventory, control deployment (MFA rollout), testing, evidence repository.
    • Targets NY financial entities (scalable by size); DFS examinations, no third-party certification. (178 words)

    Key Differences

    Scope

    BRC
    Food safety, site standards, HACCP, PRPs
    23 NYCRR 500
    Cybersecurity program, risk assessment, MFA, encryption

    Industry

    BRC
    Food manufacturing, packaging, global retailers
    23 NYCRR 500
    NY financial services, banks, insurers

    Nature

    BRC
    Voluntary GFSI certification standard
    23 NYCRR 500
    Mandatory state regulation with enforcement

    Testing

    BRC
    Annual on-site audits, internal mocks
    23 NYCRR 500
    Annual pen testing, vulnerability scans

    Penalties

    BRC
    Certification loss, market access denial
    23 NYCRR 500
    Multi-million fines, consent orders

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Common questions about BRC and 23 NYCRR 500

    BRC FAQ

    23 NYCRR 500 FAQ

    You Might also be Interested in These Articles...

    Run Maturity Assessments with GRADUM

    Transform your compliance journey with our AI-powered assessment platform

    Assess your organization's maturity across multiple standards and regulations including ISO 27001, DORA, NIS2, NIST, GDPR, and hundreds more. Get actionable insights and track your progress with collaborative, AI-powered evaluations.

    100+ Standards & Regulations
    AI-Powered Insights
    Collaborative Assessments
    Actionable Recommendations

    Check out these other Gradum.io Standards Comparison Pages