A BRCGS certificate holder will inevitably need a verified copy of his certificate in case of a customer audit, or any other reason including custom and compliance file. The BRCGS directory is the official website which allows accessing all this information to the certified sites, certifying agencies and buyers. This article will provide step-by-step guidelines on how to download the copies of BRCGS certificates, how to use BRCGS Certificate Lookup and BRCGS Certificate Verification services and what to do if there is no such opportunity to download the copy of certificate right away.
The BRCGS Directory website becomes well-known for many Indian food processing units and export manufacturing facilities only when it is needed by the buyer. For them, the login procedure, types of accounts and places to download the necessary document become unknown at this time. This article covers the BRCGS Directory website step-by-step starting from its explanation, ending with the downloading process and troubleshooting tips in case there is no download button.
What Is the BRCGS Directory and Why It Matters to Download BRCGS Certificate
The BRCGS Directory (directory.brcgs.com) is the main database managed by BRCGS containing information about the certification status, audit history, and certificates of all sites audited to BRCGS Standard. It is the main source for buyers and retailers to check if the certification of a manufacturer is valid. Indian manufacturers who export foods, packaging, and consumer goods to the UK or the EU countries are generally asked by buyers to provide Directory entry instead of PDF certificate.
Learning how to download BRCGS certificates from this portal will help you save time while getting your company on board as a buyer and avoid asking your certification body again and again.
The Directory came into existence at the expense of the older method of wholly depending on emailed PDFs, which became outdated the minute an individual certificate gets withdrawn, downgraded or renewed. Since the information is updated immediately following any change in the outcome of the audit conducted by the certification body, it becomes guaranteed that the person who visits the Directory will always get the most recent information concerning that certificate, not necessarily the most recent version sent as an attachment.
- The directory information is submitted solely by the certification body that performed the audit, hence making it very authoritative.
- It helps the BRCGS Certificate Lookup when one wants to check a supplier’s certification.
- It facilitates BRCGS Certified Company Search on over 55,000 audited sites around the world.
- It is the preferred tool for BRCGS Certificate Verification by auditors or customers.
Who Can Download BRCGS Certificate Files from the Directory
The access for downloading documents of BRCGS certificate is based on the kind of account available under the Directory account. BRCGS has two kinds of accounts that vary in terms of download permission.
| Account Type | Cost | Certificate Download Access |
|---|---|---|
| Directory Lite | Free | View certification status, grade, scope, and expiry only. The certificate PDF cannot be downloaded. |
| Directory Pro | Paid Subscription | Full access to download BRCGS certificate PDFs, receive live certification status alerts, and use export tools. |
| Audit Owner Account | Free (Site-Specific) | Certified sites can sign in and download their own BRCGS certificate directly from their audit record. |
If one is a certified manufacturer, then the easiest way would be logging in as an audit owner because each certified site is provided with their audit report and certificate free of charge. For buyers or third parties that require verification of the supplier but do not have to download the file, they may use Directory Lite for BRCGS Certificate Lookup.
Step-by-Step Process to Download BRCGS Certificate as an Audit Owner
This is the procedure followed by certified facilities including most of the Indian export units in downloading the copy of the BRCGS certificate through their own Directory profile.
- Visit the BRCGS Directory website at directory.brcgs.com and sign in using the login details for your site.
- If your account isn’t activated yet, sign in with the account credentials given to you by your certification body, or choose to create an account in the Directory.
- After signing in, choose the “BRC Audits” menu item. There, you will see a list of all sites attached to your account.
- Choose the site for which you require the certificate. This action will bring you to the audit information page.
- Do not switch tabs and go down to the “Attached Documents” section at the bottom of the page.
- Choose the PDF file for the certificate and download the document.
- Keep the file in your internal compliance folder and provide the link directly from the Directory to the buyers.
This is how you can view and download your BRCGS certificate online without relying on your certifying organization to send you an email each time you need it. Most organizations find this quicker than sending an individual response every time.
It is important to know that your audit record contains not only the certificate, but also the complete audit report, non-conformities summary, and corrective actions status as well. Organizations that receive their certificates through this process tend to examine all those documents together because sometimes buyers require an audit summary along with the certificate.
How to Use BRCGS Certificate Lookup for Verification
Often, buyers, auditors, and compliance departments will need to verify the status of a supplier but not download the actual certificate. The BRCGS Certificate Lookup within the Directory has been developed precisely for this and serves as the foundation of BRCGS Certificate Verification when approving suppliers.
- Check out www.directory.brcgs.com and choose the search button or “Find a Certificated Site”.
- Provide your input with any one from the name of the organization, site code, or location to perform the BRCGS Certified Company search.
- Check out the search result displaying certification status, standard, grade, and expiration date of the certificate.
- Access the detail page to check out more information about verification and certificate availability based on audit owner sharing preferences and whether the viewer is a Directory Pro member or not.
This type of search becomes particularly handy for Indian exporters who wish to cross-check the credentials of a raw material supplier/subcontractor before issuing an order, since it is based on records of the certification body itself and not some document which might be obsolete.
Another good practice is to perform a BRCGS Certificate Lookup on your own website occasionally, not just on those of suppliers. It helps to verify whether your certification information is shown accurately, and prevents any mistakes from being discovered later by the buyer instead of you.
Common Reasons You Cannot Download BRCGS Certificate Files
Sometimes the certificate may be unavailable for downloading despite the fact that the website has been certified. This table explains the possible reasons.
| Issue | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Certificate Not Yet Uploaded | The certification body has issued the certificate but has not yet uploaded the PDF to the BRCGS Directory record. |
| Sharing Restricted by Audit Owner | The certified site has disabled public PDF downloads through its BRCGS Verify sharing settings. |
| Site Not in “Certificated” Status | Certificates cannot be downloaded for sites that are suspended, withdrawn, or awaiting audit closure. |
| Basic (Lite) Account in Use | BRCGS Directory Lite accounts can view certification status but cannot download the certificate PDF. |
Sometimes the certificate cannot be available to download even though the site has received certification. The following table describes the possible causes.
BRCGS Certificate Download vs. Audit Report Access: Knowing the Difference
When a user of the Directory encounters an audit report for the first time, he or she may confuse it with the certificate, thinking that both are the same. However, it is necessary to know their functions separately before making a request to your certification body.
| Document | Purpose | Typical Requester |
|---|---|---|
| BRCGS Certificate | Single-page proof of certification status, grade, and validity period. | Buyers, customs authorities, and retail compliance teams. |
| Full Audit Report | Detailed audit findings, non-conformities, observations, and corrective actions. | Technical, quality assurance, and supplier approval teams. |
For normal supplier audits on a day-to-day basis, having just the certificate downloaded is sufficient. It is in most cases separate from the certificate and the audit-owning organization controls the distribution of the full audit report more carefully because it has sensitive operational information.
Alternative Ways to Download BRCGS Certificate Copies
When Directory access is not immediately possible, there are a few reliable alternatives to obtain a certificate copy.
- Make your request for the PDF version directly through the certification body that originally issued the file via email.
- Check under the section “Attached Documents” in Audit Summary at your company’s Directory site.
- Buy the Directory Pro subscription if you need to download certificates on a frequent basis for multiple suppliers.
- If you’re the buyer, ask your supplier to make their audit available for sharing.
Best Practices for Indian Exporters Managing BRCGS Certificate Downloads
Access to Directory will prove to be advantageous for Indian manufacturers that deal with controlled markets by considering it a part of the regular documentation process instead of an occasional effort. This is because the certificates have a fixed validity period and are renewed after every surveillance or re-certification audit; therefore, having a process in place for Directory access can save one from making a last minute effort.
- Directory user IDs should be kept safe by the compliance team, not an individual alone.
- Make sure to download copies of BRCGS certificates immediately after receiving them, keeping them with your audit report.
- Look out for the expiry date on these certificates through Directory since expired listings will prevent buyer approval.
- Provide buyers with your site listing on Directory for checking rather than sending scanned copies of certificates.
- Make sure to set up your directory sharing settings correctly so that BRCGS Certificate Lookup customers can see your listing.
Key Takeaways
- Download of BRCGS certificate PDF is free of charge for certified sites by using their own audit owner login in the Directory.
- Directory Lite offers a status checking facility only, whereas Directory Pro is needed for downloading of certificates for other companies.
- The PDF of the certificate is available in the “Audit Summary” section under “Attached Documents” in each site’s entry.
- BRCGS Certificate Lookup and BRCGS Certified Company Search are the proper methods for checking the supplier prior to its approval.
- In case of absence of the download facility, one needs to check the certification status and sharing of information first.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How to download a BRCGS certificate from the BRCGS directory?
Go to directory.brcgs.com and then download the PDF from Attached Documents for your site under “BRC Audits”.
2. What are the steps to access and download your BRCGS certification online?
Simply log in, choose your certified site, click Audit Summary, find Attached Documents and download the certificate PDF file.
3. How do I download my BRCGS certificate?
As the audit owner, simply log into the Directory using your site credentials and download your certificate via the audit record free of charge.
4. Where can I find my BRCGS certificate online?
Your certificate can be found in the BRCGS Directory under the Audit Summary tab for your site along with the complete audit report.
5. What is BRCGS Certificate Verification and how does it work?
This is the process of verifying the certification status of the supplier using live Directory data, not the document submitted via e-mail.
6. How does BRCGS Certificate Lookup help buyers search for certified suppliers?
By allowing them to search by company name or site code and immediately see their certification status, grade, scope, and expiry date.
7. Can I use BRCGS Certified Company Search without a paid Directory account?
Yes, using Directory Lite you can freely perform a company search and certificate verification; however, PDF downloading is available only for Directory Pro users.
