Who is legally or professionally required to comply with **BRC**?

**BRCGS applies to food manufacturers, processors, and packers of processed foods, raw materials for food service, primary products like fruit/vegetables, and domestic pet foods under direct site management control.** It is professionally required by major retailers and brand owners as a GFSI-benchmarked certification for supply chain access; it excludes wholesale, importation, distribution outside site control, livestock feed, and non-segregated activities.

Does **BRC** require an external audit or third-party certification?

**Yes, BRCGS mandates annual external audits by accredited certification bodies, with options for announced or unannounced audits leading to third-party certification.** Certification grades (AA/A/B/C/D, with "+" for unannounced) are issued post-audit based on non-conformance severity; fundamental requirements must be met, or certification is denied/ withdrawn.

How often should an assessment for **BRC** be performed?

**BRCGS requires full-site internal audits at least annually with a minimum of four audit dates spread throughout the year, plus risk-based frequency.** External certification audits occur annually (announced or unannounced), with surveillance and recertification maintaining continuous compliance; seasonal sites need pre-startup audits.

What are the consequences of non-compliance with **BRC**?

**Non-compliance with BRCGS fundamental requirements results in major non-conformities, potential certification denial, suspension, or withdrawal, plus increased audit frequency and commercial delisting by retailers.** Critical non-conformities trigger immediate action; repeated failures demand root cause analysis, CAPA closure within 28 days, and full re-audit, risking market exclusion.

Can **BRC** be mapped to other international frameworks?

**Yes, BRCGS Food Safety is GFSI-benchmarked and maps closely to frameworks like FSMA Preventive Controls, providing comparable or exceeding detail on HACCP, PRPs, and governance.** It aligns via hazard analysis, validation, supplier controls, and management reviews, though terminology adaptations (e.g., PCQI designation) may be needed for full interoperability.

What is the first step to begin implementing **BRC**?

**The first step for BRCGS implementation is securing senior management commitment via a signed food safety policy and defining site scope using the BRC Get Started Assessment Tool.** This establishes leadership KPIs, resources, multidisciplinary HACCP team, and gap analysis against the nine clauses for phased readiness.

What is the primary objective of **MLPS 2.0 (Multi-Level Protection Scheme)**?

**The primary objective of MLPS 2.0 is to establish a graded cybersecurity protection system ensuring controls match the potential harm from system compromise to national security, social order, and public interests.** It classifies systems into five levels (1-5) based on impact severity, mandating commensurate technical, management, physical, and personnel controls per GB/T 22239-2020 and related standards.

Who is legally or professionally required to comply with **MLPS 2.0 (Multi-Level Protection Scheme)**?

**All network operators in mainland China must comply with MLPS 2.0 under Article 21 of the 2017 Cybersecurity Law.** This includes domestic firms, foreign-invested enterprises, cloud providers, and operators of IT, IoT, big data, or industrial systems, enforced by Ministry of Public Security and local Public Security Bureaus.

Does **MLPS 2.0 (Multi-Level Protection Scheme)** require an external audit or third-party certification?

**Yes, MLPS 2.0 requires external security reviews by licensed Chinese firms for Level 2+ systems, targeting a minimum score of 75/100 per GB/T 28448-2019.** Local PSBs approve classifications and certifications, with on-site inspections possible; Level 1 relies on self-assessment.

How often should an assessment for **MLPS 2.0 (Multi-Level Protection Scheme)** be performed?

**Assessments under MLPS 2.0 must occur biennially for Level 2, annually for Level 3, semi-annually for Level 4, and as mandated for Level 5.** Re-evaluations are also required after major changes like architecture updates or cloud migrations.

What are the consequences of non-compliance with **MLPS 2.0 (Multi-Level Protection Scheme)**?

**Non-compliance with MLPS 2.0 triggers administrative fines up to 100,000 yuan, operational suspensions, system shutdowns, and intensified PSB inspections.** Severe cases link to business license denials; enforcement since 2019 includes thousands of actions.

Can **MLPS 2.0 (Multi-Level Protection Scheme)** be mapped to other international frameworks?

**Yes, MLPS 2.0 control domains—physical, network, data, operations, governance—map to ISO 27001 Annex A and NIST CSF categories.** Organizations leverage existing ISMS for gap analysis, though MLPS adds prescriptive grading and PSB oversight.

What is the first step to begin implementing **MLPS 2.0 (Multi-Level Protection Scheme)**?

**The first step is conducting a provisional self-assessment to classify systems into Levels 1-5 based on impact to national security and social order.** Inventory assets, document rationale per GB/T 22240-2020, then file with local PSB within 30 days for Level 2+.

BRC vs MLPS 2.0 (Multi-Level Protection Scheme)

Q: What is the primary objective of **BRC**?

**The primary objective of BRCGS Global Standard for Food Safety is to ensure the production of safe, legal, authentic, and quality food products through a structured management system.** It combines **senior management commitment** with a **Codex HACCP-based food safety plan** and robust **prerequisite programmes** (GMP/GHP) to control contamination, mislabelling, food fraud, and operational risks across manufacturing, processing, and packing.

Standards Comparison

BRC

Voluntary

2022

GFSI-benchmarked standard for food safety management

MLPS 2.0 (Multi-Level Protection Scheme)

Mandatory

N/A

China's mandatory graded cybersecurity protection framework.

Quick Verdict

BRC ensures food safety certification for global supply chains, while MLPS 2.0 mandates graded cybersecurity for China networks. Companies adopt BRC for retailer access and MLPS for legal compliance to avoid fines.

Food Safety

BRC

BRCGS Global Standard for Food Safety

Cost

€€€€

Complexity

High

Implementation Time

6-12 months

Key Features

GFSI-benchmarked certification for global retailer acceptance
Senior management commitment with culture action plan
Codex HACCP plan integrated with prerequisite programs
Fundamental requirements preventing common recall causes
Graded audits including unannounced for performance signaling

Standard

MLPS 2.0 (Multi-Level Protection Scheme)

Multi-Level Protection Scheme 2.0

Cost

€€€€

Complexity

Medium

Implementation Time

12-18 months

Key Features

Five-level classification based on impact to national security
Mandatory PSB registration and approval for Level 2+ systems
Third-party audits with 75/100 passing score requirement
Extended controls for cloud, IoT, big data, ICS
Law enforcement oversight, inspections, ongoing re-evaluations

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 GFSI-benchmarked third-party certification framework for food manufacturers, processors, and packers. It assures product safety, legality, authenticity, and quality across supply chains. Scope includes processed foods, ingredients, primary products, and pet food. Core approach combines senior management commitment with a Codex HACCP-based food safety plan and prerequisite programs (GMP/GHP).

Key Components

Nine clauses: senior management, HACCP, FSQMS, site standards, product/process control, personnel, risk zones, traded products.
Fundamental requirements (13 non-negotiable, e.g., traceability, allergen management, internal audits).
Built on risk assessments, environmental monitoring, food defense.
Certification model: annual announced/unannounced audits with AA/A/B/C/D grading.

Why Organizations Use It

Mandated by retailers for supply chain access.
Reduces audits, evidences due diligence, mitigates recall risks (allergens, pathogens).
Enhances resilience, compliance (e.g., FSMA alignment), reputation.
Drives continuous improvement via CAPA, root cause analysis.

Implementation Overview

Phased: gap analysis, HACCP development, training, internal audits, certification by accredited bodies. Suits manufacturers globally; 6-12 months typical for mid-size sites, involving CAPEX for site standards.

MLPS 2.0 (Multi-Level Protection Scheme) Details

What It Is

MLPS 2.0 (Multi-Level Protection Scheme 2.0) is China's legally mandated regulatory framework under the 2016 Cybersecurity Law for graded protection of networks and information systems. It classifies systems into five levels based on potential harm to national security, social order, and public interests, requiring tailored technical, governance, and organizational controls.

Key Components

Common baseline controls in physical, network, data, host, application, and operations domains
Extended requirements for cloud, IoT, big data, industrial control systems
Governance structures, personnel management, policies, incident response
Third-party audits (≥75/100 score) and PSB certification for Level 2+

Why Organizations Use It

Mandatory compliance avoids fines, suspensions, inspections
Strengthens risk management, resilience, supply chain security
Enables market access, procurement eligibility in China
Builds regulator and stakeholder trust

Implementation Overview

Phased: scoping, classification, gap analysis, remediation, external review, PSB filing, continuous monitoring. Targets all China network operators; intensive for multinationals with recurring audits.

Key Differences

Aspect	BRC	MLPS 2.0 (Multi-Level Protection Scheme)
Scope	Food safety, quality, supply chain manufacturing	Cybersecurity for all networks, graded protection
Industry	Food, packaging, storage, global retailers	All sectors in China, critical infrastructure focus
Nature	Voluntary GFSI-benchmarked certification	Mandatory legal regime enforced by police
Testing	Annual third-party audits, grading AA/A/B/C/D	Expert reviews, PSB approval, periodic re-evaluations
Penalties	Certification loss, market access denial	Fines, operations suspension, inspections