Whats New

The ICS public training calendar has been updated through the reaminder of 2010.  Many new course dates have been added in the areas of Six Sigma, Process and Value Stream Mapping, HACCP Awareness and Documentation, FMEA, PPAP, APQP, and more.

For a chronological listing of courses and dates visit our main training page.

This 2-day workshop is a sensible way to improve business performance. Its common sense approach to process mapping and work simplification places the opportunity for process improvement with the people that do the work. Our methodology is modeled after the work simplification program that drove US productivity and economic supremacy during the first half of the last century. By far it is the best system for documenting, analyzing, mapping and improving business processes that will become the foundation for employee engagement and business process improvement in any organization. Leave this workshop ready to put your new skills to work  immediately!

For more information and to register for the course click here.

ICS offers certification to various food safety and quality management systems for food companies and organizations involved in the process of bringing food from the farm to the table.  See below for information on:

• HACCP Certification
• HACCP & ISO 9001 Certification
• ISO 22000 certification

HACCP Certification

ICS has developed a HACCP certification program, which focuses on improving food safety for the food industry. This program uses the Codex Alimentarius as the basis and is customized based on the individual company's business model.

Benefits of HACCP Certification

• Certification indicates that facilities are in compliance with HACCP based food safety regulations
• HACCP is an internationally recognized food safety tool which provides greater credibility with current and potential customers around the globe
• Reduced risk of unsafe products through the identification and management of risks to food safety at critical control points
• Employing a HACCP-system demonstrates your commitment to proactively managing food safety
• Increased confidence in your products quality from both customers and within your organization

 

HACCP & ISO 9001 Certification

The application of HACCP is compatible with the implementation of quality management systems, such as ISO 9001, and is the system of choice in the management of food safety within such systems. ISO 9001 certification demonstrates that quality and customer satisfaction are priorities for your organization. ISO 9001 certification provides proof of your commitment to quality and the continuing improvement of your systems.

HACCP audits are conducted using auditor checklists based on Codex Alimentarius as well as local statutory and regulatory requirements. Food processors can be certified to ISO 9001 simultaneously while an audit is conducted of their HACCP plans, resulting in certification for both. To provide food processors dual certification, ICS has designed a unique combined ISO/HACCP audit in preparation for the ISO 22000 standard for the food industry.

Benefits of HACCP & ISO 9001 Integrated Systems Certification

• Certification of the integrated HACCP & ISO 9001 system results in two certificates which demonstrates your commitment to quality and continuous improvement
• Reduced auditing time that would normally be required to obtain the ISO 9001 and HACCP certifications seperately
• HACCP and ISO 9001 are well known internationally and enhances credibility of your food safety and quality assurance systems for current and potential clients around the globe
• Companies who also sell products/services unrelated to food or pharmaceuticals, can expand their scope for ISO 9001 certification to include the quality assurance system for those other products/services.

 

ISO 22000 Certification

ISO 22000 is an international accredited standard that harmonizes existing international and industry certification schemes and incorporates HACCP principles, though HACCP can still be implemented as a separate risk management tool.  ISO 22000 creates an effective and common structure for food safety management, communication throughout the supply chain, and management of food safety critical control points.

Benefits of ISO 22000 System Certification

• Certification to a single accredited and globally accepted standard
• Improved communication throughout your supply chain
• Enhanced understanding and implementation of HACCP principles which leads to Improved critical control point hazard management

 

Please join us at our new facilities in Guelph, Ontario for our Open House on December 8th from 4-8pm.

Details are below.  Click here to RSVP.

Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) is a food safety system that has been adopted by many countries throughout the world. It has become the standard that is the most effective and is mandatory in some countries and industries.

Consumers are demanding our food manufacturing plants are safe. Other manufactures are insisting on buying product from HACCP certified suppliers.

HACCP Awareness Workshop - One Day Course

ICS has developed a 1 day Introduction to HACCP. This one day course will explain what HACCP is and why your company should develop a HACCP system. It will also take you through what is needed to start your HACCP system. The one day course will explain the difference between prerequisite programs and HACCP plans and why you need both in your HACCP system. The course will give you an understanding of what HACCP is all about and how it could benefit your business.  For course dates and pricing, click here.

Documenting Your HACCP System - Two Day Course    

ICS has developed a two day training program to guide your company through the steps to set up and develop your organizations HACCP System.

The training program/workshop will take you through developing a prerequisite program and a HACCP plan to build your HACCP System. These two days give you hands on approach of what will be needed to complete your prerequisite program and your HACCP plan.

The program will give you the knowledge as to what information is required on your prerequisite program and HACCP Plan including; documents and records, hazards, how to establish CCP’s., HACCP Forms, Corrective Action, Internal Audits and when you are ready for certification.  For course dates and pricing, click here.

Our Instructor

Barb Mitchell is passionate about food safety. She has over 10 years practical experience implementing, auditing and working within HACCP compliant systems. Her experience includes feed mills, food services for Senior’s facilities and bio security for transportation to and from farms.

Barb has extensive knowledge on the Feed Assure and the HACCP advantage programmes and has worked in conjunction with the CFIA inspectors during audits, simulations and recalls.

Barb draws from experiences and shares real life examples to break down these complex requirements to a level of understanding that any organization involved in the handling or production of food will relate too.

Barb’s training includes HACCP, Food Safety, Bio-security and Health & Safety conducted at the University of Guelph and Fanshawe College.

ICS has implemented "online store" functionality on our website.  Starting immediately, you can now register and pay for ICS public training sessions and seminars online!

Online registration for live public training sessions with a MasterCard, VISA, or American Express is easy and secure.  When you purchase training for the first time on the website, you will be asked to register for the online catalog.  Once registered you do not need to register again.

In the future, ICS will also sell other products and services via the "online store".  Items like ISO registration flags and publications will be available in the near future.

Click here to see the upcoming public training and seminar schedule.

We are pleased to announce another innovative program for organizations registered to one of the international quality standards.  Beginning this May, we are forming an ISO Consortium of companies interested in improving their management system and adding value to their auditing process.  This program will equip the participants with the skill and knowledge to improve their quality system in their organization.
We will focus on ISO 9000, ISO 14000 and OHSAS 18000 as participants learn new skills, network with other organizations and share best practices while gaining assistance in the achievement of measureable improvements.

Benefits of Our Program

• The program sessions are designed with a “Practical Hands-on Approach”
• Each session teaches concepts that the participants are expected to apply back at their organization.
• Participants gain improved communication and presentation skills designed to leverage impact and provide proven leadership skills back on the job.
• Participants meet and develop working relationships with “like minded” business people to share information throughout the programme and into the future.
• Included is a workbook of the process, tools and techniques used throughout the course to share the lessons learned with others in your organization.

How the Consortium Works

• Every month a half day session is held to teach participants various aspects of managing a world-class ISO management system
• The program starts in May 2009 and runs once a month at our Cambridge location on the fourth Wednesday of the month.
• Each company enrolled in the program is allowed two participants at every session
• Assignments are given at each session and are due to be completed for presentation at the next session.  This drives the learning for the participants and ensures a measureable improvement in the organization by the end of the programme.

More Good News

This training program is eligible for funding through the provincial government programs available to Ontario based manufacturing companies.  In partnership with the Ontario Government, the Yves Landry Foundation is making available up to $50,000 per project in the form of a grant to foster training that will lead to advancements in innovation within the manufacturing sector in Ontario.

Click here for the full program details.

This is special 2-day intensive training in the techniques and accepted methods used for internal auditing in the ISO 14000 series using the Process Approach. A necessity to ensure the internal audit team understands the application of the program to organizational and standards requirements.  This course normally costs $795 CAD, but sign-up now and receive a 15% discount!

International Certification Services Inc. is holding a free session on the changes to the ISO 9000 standard. The biggest change is to the organizations that have held on to traditional management systems, based on the clauses of the standard. This is because there has been a change to Clause 4.1 in the standard. The clause has been amended to indicate that the organization shall determine the processes needed for the quality management system as opposed to identifying the processes.

The specific agenda is as follows:

1. Overview of ISO Amendment Process
2. Identification of the 2008 changes to ISO 9001
3. Identification of changes to ISO 9004
4. Why change your system?
5. How to change your system.
6. Upgrade audits
7. Questions

The session will be held at our facility in Cambridge, Ontario on January 8, 2009 from 8:30am to 12:00pm. Click here to download the fax back registration form.