Quality Shield Rules of Use - Edition 10

Sites that achieve and maintain certification to the SQF Quality Code are granted permission by their certification body to use the SQF quality shield.

The below is applicable to Edition 10 and posted March, 2026.
Translations are provided as a service to SQF customers and are provided "as is." No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, or correctness of any translations made from English into any other language.

1

Introduction

1.1The SQF quality shield is owned by SQFI. Sites obtain no property rights in the SQF quality shield.
1.2SQFI delegates any or all of its functions described herein to a licensed certification body (CB) as stipulated in their Safe Quality Food Institute Certification Body License Agreement.
1.3These rules of use regulate the use of the SQF quality shield by sites only. These rules of use do not regulate the use of the SQF quality shield by SQFI, certification bodies (CBs), or other entities licensed by SQFI to use them, unless otherwise provided for in this or another instrument.

2

Conditions for Use

2.1Sites who achieve and maintain certification to the SQF Quality Code are granted permission by their certification body to use the SQF quality shield. Electronic SQF shield files are to be obtained from the certification body.
2.2A site shall, for the duration of its quality certification, have the right to use the SQF quality shield. There will be no fee payable by sites for the right to use the SQF quality shield, other than fees payable to obtain and maintain certification.
2.3Subsidiary companies and site addresses not included on the certificate are not certified to use the SQF quality shield.
2.4A site must only use the SQF quality shield in accordance with its certificate and these rules of use, which are designed to protect the integrity and enhance the value of the SQF quality shield.
2.5A site can only use the SQF quality logo to indicate finished product that meets the SQF Quality Code requirements. Sites manufacturing food packaging cannot use the SQF quality shield on the manufactured packaging.

3

Reproduction

3.1Reproduction of the SQF quality shield is to be clear, precise, of the highest standard, and follow the usage guidelines in the table below.

Color Format:

  • Full Color Reproduction: outlined in 3.2 below.

For Use On:

  • Brochures, advertisements, press releases, company website, and/or
  • Stationery, including business cards and letterheads, signage, flags, and vehicles associated with SQF-certified services such as transport and delivery.
  • Goods or products such as:
    • i. a sticker or other label affixed to the goods or product;
    • ii. a product wrap; or
    • iii. non-recyclable packaging or containers e.g. boxes, crates, or the like.

Color Format:

  • Single Color Reproduction: Greyscale.

For Use On:

  • Goods or products such as:
    • i. a sticker or other label affixed to the goods or product;
    • ii. a product wrap; or
    • iii. non-recyclable packaging or containers e.g. boxes, crates, or the like.
3.2The following guidelines govern full color reproduction.

3.3The certification body name and certificate number must be identified in conjunction with the logo in the following form. The certificate number does not need to be included on the shield when used on the SQF certificate. Font type of the SQF Quality Shield must be Chaparral Pro Semi-bold.
3.4
The dimensions of the SQF quality shield are 47mm high by 35mm wide, as shown. Variation to these dimensions is permitted provided that any such variation is proportional to the above dimensions and the letters and numerals on the logo remain clear and legible.

3.5A site may use the following wording in lieu of the SQF quality shield: “(insert site name from the SQF certificate)”– a site certified to the SQF Quality Code No. (insert number issued by the certification body) and certified by (insert name of certification body).” The words must appear in the dominant font color of the packaging.
3.6Where it is demonstrated that alternative reproduction of the SQF quality shield or wording in lieu of the SQF quality shield enhances the status of the SQF quality shield and/or SQFI, then the alternative is permitted provided it is approved by the certification body. All requests must be provided in writing per certified site to the certification body and SQFI.

4

Obligations of a Site for Use

4.1

A site must:

  • i. Ensure that the SQF quality shield is only used in respect to certified goods and is clearly distinguished from goods that are exempt from quality certification;
  • ii. Direct any queries regarding their intended use of the SQF quality shield to the certification body that issued the certificate;
  • iii. Discontinue any use of the SQF quality shield to which SQFI or the certification body reasonably objects;
  • iv. Operate entirely within the scope of its certificate, including the certification schedule; and
  • v. Give SQFI, the certification body, and/or their agents access to examine all items bearing or indicating the SQF quality shield for the purpose of confirming compliance with these rules of use and the certificate.

5

Grounds for Ceasing Use of the SQF Quality Shield

5.1

Permission for a site to use the SQF quality shield shall be suspended and/or withdrawn:

  • i. If the site’s certification is suspended, withdrawn, relinquished, or not renewed; all use of the SQF quality shield in the manufacturing process must cease upon certificate suspension;
  • ii. If the site breaches or fails to comply with these rules of use;
  • iii. If the site uses the SQF quality shield in a way that, in the opinion of SQFI or the certification body, is detrimental to the SQF quality shield or the SQF program as a whole, is misleading to the public, or contrary to law; or
  • iv. If the site has an administrator, receiver, receiver and manager, official manager, or provisional liquidator appointed over its assets or where an order is made or a resolution passed for the winding up of the site (except for the purpose of amalgamation or reconstruction) or the site ceases to carry on business or becomes bankrupt, applies to take the benefit of any law for the relief of bankrupt or insolvent debtors, or makes any arrangement or composition with its creditors.

6

Withdrawn Certification

6.1

A site whose certificate has been withdrawn must:

  • i. Submit and receive permission from SQFI to use up product in commerce that has the SQF quality shield; and
  • ii. Conceal the SQF quality shield logo on remaining SQF quality shield packaging supplies, products, and all other printed materials. In lieu of concealing the SQF quality shield, a withdrawn site may destroy all remaining SQF quality shield supplies.

7

Corporate Quality Shield

7.1Large corporations with multiple individually SQF certified sites may opt to use a single corporate quality shield instead of individual site shields. A corporate quality shield may be issued by the certification body as long as the following protocols are in place to ensure that the integrity of the shield and the SQFI brand is not diminished in any way.
7.2All sites within the corporation that are eligible for SQF certification must be certified to the SQF Quality Code and maintain that certification.
7.3All SQF certified sites within the corporation must be certified by the same certification body.
7.4The corporate shield shall contain the name of the certification body, a unique identifier comprising a three-letter corporate identity issued by SQFI (e.g. “FMI”), and the year of issue of the corporate shield (e.g. “2017”).
7.5Where the corporation wishes to print the corporate shield on product packaging, each site must maintain a supply of packaging that does not include the printed shield, to be placed immediately into production in the event the site, or any of the sites, is placed under suspension. The plain packaging must remain in use until the certification body lifts the suspension and SQF quality certification is reinstated.
7.6A letter from the president or senior representative of the company must be sent to all senior site management outlining these procedures, and a management system must be in place prior to the use of any packaging displaying the quality shield at each site. This system shall be reviewable by the SQF auditor during the annual re-certification audit at each site.
7.7If any site within the corporation has their certificate suspended or withdrawn, all certified sites within the corporation must comply with clauses 5 and 6 of this quality shield rules of use.

8

Quality Shield Issued for a Multi-site Organization

8.1The SQF quality shield can only apply to the central site within a multi-site program that has achieved certification to the SQF Quality Code. Sub-sites within a multi-site program are not eligible for certification to the SQF Quality Code and cannot use the quality shield.

9

Disclaimer

9.1SQFI may from time to time alter these rules of use or make new rules, but no such alteration or new rule shall affect the use of the SQF quality shield by a site until twelve (12) months have expired from the date the alteration or new rules of use are first published on the SQFI website www.sqfi.com unless specified by SQFI.