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SQFI Info Sheets

SQF Code: Agents & Brokers

Certify Your Trade Practices. Strengthen Client Trust. Meet Retailer Requirements.

The SQF Code for Agents and Brokers gives food and general merchandise trade facilitators a certification path built for how they actually operate.

Benefits

Certification to the SQF Code for Agents and Brokers delivers measurable value across trust, compliance, and market access. 

Earn your certification to: 
  • Meet retailer requirements. Major global retailers are increasingly requiring third-party certification from the agents, brokers, and merchants they work with.
  • Certify without a facility. Virtual and home-based operations are eligible, so business size or physical footprint is not a barrier.
  • Reduce audit cost and complexity. Audits can be completed 100 percent remotely, cutting travel costs compared with other agents and brokers certification schemes.
  • Build supply chain trust. Show buyers and suppliers that your operations meet a rigorous, GFSI-aligned standard.
  • Prepare for GFSI recognition. The Code aligns with GFSI benchmark requirements, with formal GFSI benchmarking expected in 2027.

Eligibility

Companies eligible for SQF Agents and Brokers certification include organizations that buy, sell, or facilitate trade in food and general merchandise without physically handling, receiving, or storing product. Where those activities do occur, a separate SQF Code applies.

Costs

SQF Agents and Brokers certification is a lower-cost path to third-party credentialing than comparable schemes, largely because certification can be completed fully remotely.

Estimated costs include:
  • SQFI Registration Fee: $650 USD
  • Third-Party Audit Fees: Vary by scope and complexity. Remote audits typically cost less than onsite audits. Contact your Certification Body for specific pricing.

Certification Process

SQF recommends a minimum of 90 days of documented records before your audit to demonstrate that your system is fully implemented. Contact your Certification Body for specific timing. 

Selecting and Applying the SQF Code for Agents and Brokers

  1. Identify your operation. Define the Food Sector Categories and services, buying, selling, or facilitation, that apply to your business.
  2. Determine certification scope. Specify which parts of your organization, including virtual locations, are included, and document any exclusions.
  3. Apply relevant Code elements. Implement applicable requirements, including your product safety plan, supplier program, traceability, and documentation.
  4. Prepare for certification using the selected SQF Code for Agents and Brokers.

Steps to Certification

  1. Learn about the SQF Code for Agents and Brokers and its certification requirements.
  2. Register for SQF certification and designate a primary and substitute SQF practitioner.
  3. Prepare for your audit. Define scope, conduct a gap assessment, and build an implementation plan.
  4. Implement your documented system, including a product safety plan and supplier program, with a minimum of 90 days of records. 
  5. Verify readiness through internal audits and staff training.
  6. Schedule and complete your third-party certification audit, remote, onsite, or hybrid, your choice.
  7. Close out any non-conformances within 30 days and receive your certification decision.
  8. Maintain certification through ongoing third-party certification audits.

Access the full SQF Agents & Brokers Code: SQF Agents & Brokers Code

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