Meeting between representatives of FSSC and EA BSA: Presentation of the FSSC 24000 scheme for social management systems

On December 3, 2024, a working meeting was held in Sofia between representatives of the FSSC Foundation and the Bulgarian Accreditation Service (BAS). The main topic of the meeting was the presentation of the new FSSC 24000 Social Management Systems conformity assessment scheme. The speakers at the event were Mr. Ante Batinic, Technical Manager for Social Sustainability, and Mr. Nejat, FSSC Representative for Turkey and the Middle East. 10 employees of the BSA Agency who have successfully completed FSSC 24000 training and hold a certificate of competence participated. The meeting presented up-to-date information and practical examples of the new FSSC Foundation scheme. Mr. Batinic and Mr. Nejat presented the history of the organization, structure, activities and strategy of the FSSC Foundation. In connection with the interest of stakeholders for accreditation under FSSC 22000, further steps for the BSA EA for the introduction of this scheme were agreed upon. FSSC 24000 is the first ISO-compliant conformity assessment scheme with an approach fully compliant with ISO standards. The scheme was published on November 1, 2022 and is currently still at the “walk-through” stage, as Mr. Batinich put it. The next version is expected in 2026. The speakers examined in detail the specific requirements of FSSC 24000, including: conducting a certification audit, competence of technical assessors, requirements for reporting results and other important aspects. The participants had the opportunity to familiarize themselves with all the annexes and annexes to the scheme, which further support its practical implementation. The meeting took place in an extremely constructive atmosphere, with the participants asking questions after the main presentation, which led to discussions in which specific aspects of the FSSC 24000 scheme and its application in practice were examined. The discussions provided additional clarity and an opportunity for exchange of views, which contributed to expanding the knowledge and understanding of all those present. The participants assessed the discussion as particularly useful and valuable for their future work. Conclusion The meeting left a strong positive impression and was highly appreciated by all participants, which confirmed the importance of the FSSC 24000 scheme for the construction of sustainable social management systems. The BSA Executive Agency thanks the FSSC Foundation for the fruitful cooperation and is committed to active participation in the further implementation of good practices in the field of social responsibility.