ISO 20000
International standard for service management systems
BRC
Global standard for food safety in manufacturing
Quick Verdict
ISO 20000 certifies service management for IT/cloud providers ensuring reliable delivery, while BRC ensures food safety via HACCP/site controls for manufacturers. Companies adopt ISO 20000 for trust/integration; BRC for retailer access and recall prevention.
ISO 20000
ISO/IEC 20000-1:2018 Service management system requirements
Key Features
- Annex SL alignment for integrated management systems
- Full service lifecycle operational controls (Clause 8)
- Leadership commitment with PDCA continual improvement
- Certifiable requirements for service reliability assurance
- Flexible implementation supporting ITIL, DevOps, Agile
BRC
BRCGS Global Standard for Food Safety
Key Features
- Senior management commitment and culture plan
- Codex HACCP-based food safety plan
- Fundamental requirements for certification
- Environmental monitoring and risk zoning
- Unannounced audit options with grading
Detailed Analysis
A comprehensive look at the specific requirements, scope, and impact of each standard.
ISO 20000 Details
What It Is
ISO/IEC 20000-1:2018 is the certifiable international standard for establishing and operating a service management system (SMS). It specifies auditable requirements for managing the full service lifecycle—planning, design, transition, delivery, and improvement—using a risk-based, PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) approach aligned with Annex SL for integration with other ISO standards like ISO 9001 and ISO/IEC 27001.
Key Components
- Clauses 4–10 cover context, leadership, planning, support, operation, performance evaluation, and improvement.
- Clause 8 details lifecycle domains: service portfolio, relationships, supply/demand, design/transition, resolution/fulfilment, assurance.
- Core processes include incident/problem management, change/release, configuration, availability/continuity, security.
- Built on flexible, outcome-focused requirements enabling ITIL, DevOps; supports third-party certification.
Why Organizations Use It
- Drives service reliability, customer trust, risk reduction (e.g., 50% certificate growth per ISO survey).
- Enables market differentiation, procurement wins, integration benefits (69% report trust gains per BSI).
- Mitigates outages, supplier risks; voluntary but demanded in RFPs, regulated sectors.
Implementation Overview
- Phased: gap analysis, SMS design, process deployment, audits (Stage 1/2), surveillance.
- Applies to all sizes/industries (IT, cloud, BPO); 12-18 months typical; requires leadership, training, tools.
BRC Details
What It Is
BRCGS Global Standard for Food Safety (Issue 9) is a GFSI-benchmarked certification framework for food manufacturers, processors, and packers. It ensures product safety, legality, authenticity, and quality through a structured, auditable management system combining senior leadership commitment with Codex HACCP-based plans and prerequisite programs (GMP/GHP).
Key Components
- Nine core clauses: senior management, HACCP, FSQMS, site standards, product/process controls, personnel, risk zones, traded products.
- Fundamental requirements (e.g., traceability, allergen management, internal audits) critical for certification.
- Built on risk assessments, environmental monitoring, and root cause analysis.
- Annual audits (announced/unannounced) with grading (AA/A/B/C/D).
Why Organizations Use It
Provides market access to retailers, reduces duplicative audits, demonstrates due diligence, mitigates recall risks (allergens, pathogens), enhances resilience, and builds stakeholder trust.
Implementation Overview
Phased approach: gap analysis, documentation, training, internal audits, certification audit. Suited for food manufacturers globally; 6-12 months typical for mid-sized sites with consulting support.
Key Differences
| Aspect | ISO 20000 | BRC |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Service management systems across lifecycle | Food safety, HACCP, site/product controls |
| Industry | IT, cloud, business services globally | Food manufacturing, packaging, supply chain |
| Nature | Voluntary certifiable management standard | Voluntary GFSI-benchmarked food safety scheme |
| Testing | Stage 1/2 audits, surveillance, internal audits | Annual site audits, announced/unannounced |
| Penalties | Certification loss, market access denial | Grade reduction, certification suspension |
Scope
Industry
Nature
Testing
Penalties
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about ISO 20000 and BRC
ISO 20000 FAQ
BRC FAQ
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