Over the last week our quality assurance team has been working hard in our warehouses as Murphy was going through our newest certification, Safety Quality Food (SQF) audit. There are two different types of certification audits: desk audits and warehouse walk through audits. During a desk audit, third party auditors will check through company policies to verify that the 3PL is setting the right rules for their employees. The warehouse walk through audit is where the third party auditors will physically inspect various aspects of the warehouse to verify that the rules set forth in the desk audits are being followed to keep the workers and products in the warehouse safe.
Warehouse certifications are becoming increasingly important for 3PLs to have, and there are many different reasons why. While food safety certifications make sure that a warehouse is sanitary and has strong handling procedures, environmental certifications ensure that pollution and energy efficiency are taken into account on daily basis. We think that it is important to have certifications in all areas so that we are a well-rounded provider for our clients. It allows us to handle many types of products correctly and efficiently, with an eye towards improving our environment. From the safety of products and employees in the warehouse to customer requirements, third party certifications and audits can help to mitigate risk and build trust between suppliers and their 3PLs.
There are different types of certifications as well as different classes within them. We will just split them into Industry certifications, Food Safety certifications and Environmental Certifications. Check out our Certifications page to learn more about the different industry certifications that we have here at Murphy. Also, be sure to check back over the next few weeks as talk about all three types of certifications and how they help us with our procedures and safety as well as how they benefit our clients.