Food standards company BRCGS has partnered with Waitrose to embed its professional learning and development programme throughout its supply chain, in order to help maintain quality assurance and consumer confidence.

The BRCGS assurance programme looks at every aspect of the food supply chain, including ingredients, packaging, distribution and retail.

Waitrose has signed up to be an ambassador of the programme as part of its commitment to quality and safety, and the retailer says the scheme sets the benchmark for best practice manufacturing which helps to provide reassurance that products and services are high quality, legal and safe.

A Waitrose spokesperson said: “As a pioneer of high food quality standards, we’re pleased to become an ambassador of the BRCGS’s programme. Educating suppliers about the importance of food safety and quality is more vital than ever before and in doing so, food retailers will be able to build confidence throughout global supply chains, as well as give consumers greater assurance about the products they are purchasing.”

Rob Moss, head of BRCGS Professional, added: “We are delighted to be working with Waitrose as part of our joint commitment to quality and safety. Waitrose recognises the reassurance that our standards development and certification give them as a brand, and we look forward to providing additional confidence by working with their supply chain. We have over 9000 Professionals enrolled across 118 countries who recognise how their development can provide customer confidence in the products they deliver.”