CCOF Certification Services has been working hard throughout 2015 to evolve our systems. We’re excited to announce the planned launch of a variety of internal system improvements and new tools for our clients during 2016. Look for more details about these various improvements in subsequent magazines and newsletters.
Action Item Tracker – New in early 2016! Action Item Tracker allows you to respond to CCOF action items— including attaching documents to your responses—directly through MyCCOF! This eliminates letters and emails and will help CCOF work with you. Over time, as other improvements are implemented, Action Item Workflow will help you address compliance matters quickly and easily, one by one.
Fewer inspection documents – We’ve reduced the number of additional documents our inspectors are required to complete during an inspection. Less paperwork means faster inspections and reviews!
Single action items per issue/request – During 2016 you will see a shift to creating separate action items for each compliance issue, CCOF request, or reminder. Currently, CCOF creates only one action item per letter. In the future, we will create a separate action item for each specific item. This will allow you to respond to specific items without the confusion of which item has been responded to. This new framework will also feed into our next service improvement, the Compliance Report!
Compliance Report – We know it may be difficult to keep track of the various issues and requests regarding your certification with CCOF, and we’ve been working to make this confusion a thing of the past! With our new Compliance Report, all open action items will be available in a single easy-to-read and understand report, which will be updated every time there is a change to your open action items.
Your inspector will only need to review your Compliance Report and will almost never have to search for old letters.
Project Chrysalis – We’re really excited about this one! Just like the caterpillar emerges from its chrysalis as a new butterfly, so too will MyCCOF emerge from Project Chrysalis as a new and improved online certification tool. The leading online organic certification tool is about to take its new improved form.
Supplier list – We’re bringing the innovation of the Materials List to organic suppliers:
- We’re no longer collecting certificates for the same supplier from multiple operations, but instead utilizing our supplier records to keep track of the certification status for all operations purchasing from that supplier. Please remember to keep current certificates on file at your site.
- This new format allows us to communicate to all operations using a given supplier, should that supplier’s certification status change.
- The new supplier list will reduce the size of your electronic OSP, reducing paperwork burdens for inspectors and review staff. This means quicker inspections and reviews!
As we roll out these tools and improvements, look for presentations at events, CCOF chapter meetings, and other venues. Our goal is to continually improve so we meet your needs professionally while maintaining strong organic integrity. Systems that make us more efficient and give you tools help CCOF be a great organic certifier that can focus our energy on the needs of our members.