Why does the choice of consultancy shape the whole project?
Because a certification project ties up a company for months, and the consultancy builds the system that the auditor will then assess. A poor choice is paid for twice: a failed audit, then a second project to redo what was done badly.
Sales pages tend to read alike: turnkey support, guaranteed success, funding taken care of. For a managing director, a quality manager or a group QA director overseeing plants in several countries, the only way to separate offers is to go back to what can be checked. The method below works for quality (ISO 9001:2026), food safety (BRCGS, IFS, FSSC 22000 and the other GFSI-recognised programmes) and for health, safety and environment.
What are the 10 verifiable criteria?
Each criterion below can be checked in a directory, a document or an interview before signing. If a firm will not provide the evidence, treat the criterion as not met.
No. | Criterion | How to check it | Evidence to request |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Official listings | Search the consultants’ names in standard owners’ directories, for example the BRCGS consultant directory | Exact name, directory entry |
2 | Practising auditors | Ask who in the team still audits for certification bodies or brand owners | Current auditor qualifications (IFS, BRCGS, IRCA…) |
3 | The firm’s certification | Read the certificate: scope, validity, issuing body | Copy of the firm’s ISO 9001 certificate |
4 | Sector references | Ask for references in your sector and standard, and call at least one | Reference list and an authorised contact |
5 | Written method | Obtain the step-by-step method with its deliverables | Standard project plan, anonymised sample deliverable |
6 | Tools | See a demo of the project tracking tool (documents, actions, audits, training) | Demo access or screenshots |
7 | Funding handled properly | Ask for the applicable funding rule and its official source | Reference to the funder’s rule, no promised amount |
8 | Named team | Get the names and CVs of the consultants who will work with you | CVs, project roles, named deputy |
9 | Presence on site | Ask for days on site, days remote and the countries covered | Draft attendance schedule |
10 | What is actually committed | Read what the offer commits to: deliverables, dates, conditions | Proposal and contract clauses |
Criteria 1 to 3: competence is proven
Official directories are the first filter. BRCGS publishes a directory of its approved consultants and states that it accepts no liability for their advice: a listing is not enough on its own, but someone presenting as a BRCGS consultant without one is a clear signal. For auditor qualifications, ask for the certificate number and check it with the issuing body. A firm’s ISO 9001 certificate shows an organised firm; it does not prove technical competence in your standard. Our guide for choosing a BRCGS consultant in Africa explains how to read the BRCGS directory.
Criteria 4 to 7: the method can be shown
A firm that has run many projects has a written method and standard deliverables. Ask for them. For funding, ask for the rule and its source. In Morocco, special training contracts (CSF) are governed by OFPPT, and training engineering by the sector GIACs; a provider that announces a reimbursement amount before seeing your file is promising something it does not control. Our page on CSF and GIAC funding gives the rule and an indicative simulation.
Criteria 8 to 10: commitment can be read
Names matter more than the brochure. Ask who will come, for how many days, with which deputy. Then read the commitment: a serious firm commits to deliverables and a timetable, not to the certification body’s decision.
What should you ask at the first meeting?
Precise questions that a competent firm answers directly. Vague answers are information in themselves.
- Which consultants will work on our site, and what is their experience in our sector?
- How many projects have you run on this standard, and may we call a client?
- What are the deliverables at each stage, and when?
- How many days on site and remotely are planned, and who covers if the consultant is absent?
- Are the mock audit and staff training included?
- Which certification bodies should we ask for quotes, and why more than one?
- What remains with us: staff time, investment, laboratory testing?
- How is the project tracked: meetings, reports, a shared tool?
- For multi-country groups: which countries do you cover with your own consultants, and in which languages?
Which red flags should make you walk away?
Some signals are enough to set an offer aside, whatever the price. Each one shows a firm promising what it does not control.
- An unconditional certificate guarantee: only the certification body decides.
- A funding amount announced in advance.
- “Ready-to-use” procedures delivered without a diagnosis of your site.
- A consultant who also offers to carry out the certification audit.
- A team nobody can name, or references nobody can call.
- No time on the shop floor, although auditors observe practices on the line.
Consultancy or certification body: who does what?
The consultancy prepares the site; the certification body assesses it and issues the certificate. The two roles are kept apart by the impartiality rules of accreditation standards published by ISO: ISO/IEC 17021-1 for management system certification, ISO/IEC 17065 for product and process certification such as BRCGS and IFS.
Question | Consultancy | Certification body |
|---|---|---|
Role | Diagnose, build, train, prepare | Audit against the standard and decide on certification |
Independence | Works for the company | Must remain impartial towards the company |
Can it advise the site? | Yes, that is its job | No, not on the system it certifies |
Can it certify? | No | Yes, if accredited for the standard |
Who chooses it? | The company | The company, among bodies recognised by the standard owner |
Output | Documented system, trained staff, mock audit report | Audit report, certificate |
In practice, get at least two quotes from certification bodies, independently of the consultancy. The consultancy can help you compare them; it does not choose for you. For a first ISO 9001 certification in Morocco, our guide to ISO 9001 certification steps, cost and funding covers choosing the body.
How do you compare two proposals before signing?
Bring them to the same scope and tick the same evidence. This grid fits on one page and stops you comparing a full price with a partial one.
If your need is ongoing rather than one-off, the question becomes the model, not just the firm: see our article on outsourcing the QHSE function. If you are a buyer qualifying suppliers rather than a site seeking certification, read our guide to supplier audits in Morocco.