Becoming a halal certification auditor

A halal logo on a package is only worth something if someone has gone to check on site. That work falls to the auditors and inspectors of certification bodies. They visit abattoirs, factories, warehouses and sometimes restaurants, examine documents, observe practices and decide whether the company meets the specification. It is a demanding, hands-on job that calls for both a solid technical background and an understanding of religious rules.

This page is for those considering a career as a halal auditor: how an assignment unfolds, the skills expected, possible employers and career progression.

Auditor and inspector: two complementary roles

The permanent or regular inspector

In abattoirs and some cutting plants, certifiers often station inspectors on site during production. They check the identity and authorisation of slaughtermen, the compliance of each slaughter, labelling and the separation of carcasses. The job requires daily attendance, often early in the morning, and great vigilance.

The auditor

The auditor intervenes at set points: an initial audit before certification, periodic surveillance audits, renewal audits and sometimes unannounced audits. They assess the company's whole system, not just a single batch. Depending on the body, auditors are employees or subcontractors, and may specialise by sector (meat, processed products, cosmetics, logistics).

How an audit assignment unfolds

1. Preparation: reading the company's file, previous reports, and the list of products and suppliers.
2. Opening meeting: presenting the scope, the programme and the people to be interviewed.
3. Document review: raw material certificates, technical data sheets, cleaning procedures, segregation plans, production and training records.
4. Site tour: goods-in, storage, production lines, washing areas, packing, dispatch.
5. Interviews: operatives, quality managers and, where relevant, slaughtermen, to check that the rules are known and applied.
6. Sampling where needed: samples sent to a laboratory to test for traces of animal species or alcohol.
7. Closing meeting: presenting the findings and non-conformities.
8. Report and follow-up: writing the report, verifying corrective actions, recommending a certification decision.

Audit techniques draw on general guidelines for auditing management systems, such as ISO 19011, applied to the body's halal standard.

Skills expected

Technical

• Knowledge of food processes, hygiene and the HACCP method.
• The ability to analyse a technical data sheet and spot a problematic ingredient or processing aid.
• A command of traceability principles and quality management systems.

Religious

• Knowledge of the rules of slaughter, prohibited substances and the notions of purity and contamination.
• An understanding of the body's standard and of the points on which scholars disagree, such as stunning.
• The ability to refer delicate questions to the body's religious committee or scholars rather than deciding alone.

Interpersonal

• Independence and integrity: the auditor must not give in to commercial pressure from a client.
• Tact and clarity when describing non-conformities.
• Precise report writing and good organisational skills.
• Mobility: travel is frequent, sometimes abroad.

Training and career paths

Auditors often come from the food industry: quality technicians or engineers, vets, production technicians. In France, a BTS or BUT in quality or biology, a professional bachelor's in quality or a master's in food safety provides a good foundation; in the UK, a degree in food science or food safety plays the same role. On top of that come:

• training as a management systems auditor (internal or third-party);
• specific training in the recruiting body's halal standard, often provided in-house;
• knowledge of Islamic sciences, at least of dietary rules, ideally validated through serious study.

Training options are presented on the page devoted to halal and Islamic training. Initial experience as a quality manager is a natural stepping stone: see the page on the role of halal quality manager.

Typical employers

• Halal certification bodies: the main employers of auditors and inspectors.
• General certification bodies that have developed a halal activity.
• Retailers and importers, which carry out their own supplier audits (second-party audits).
• Consultancies, which carry out mock audits before certification; see the page on halal compliance consulting.
• Public authorities in countries where halal is regulated by the state.

Bodies whose certificates are used for exports to certain countries must be recognised by those countries' authorities, which means additional procedures for their auditors.

Lawfulness and professional ethics

Checking halal compliance is generally regarded as a useful and praiseworthy activity, provided it is carried out honestly. The main moral risk is conflict of interest: certifying a product as a favour misleads thousands of consumers. An auditor must be able to refuse certification without coming under pressure, and the body must keep auditing separate from commercial decisions. If a situation seems to go against your conscience, consult a qualified scholar.

Career progression

An inspector can become an auditor, then a lead auditor in charge of the audit team, technical manager or head of certification. Others move into industry as quality and compliance managers, or become consultants and trainers. A good command of English and another language opens the way to international audits.

Tips for applying

• Highlight your hands-on experience in the food industry: it is often decisive.
• Show that you can write a clear, factual report.
• Be transparent about your level of religious knowledge and your willingness to learn.
• Before the interview, find out about the body's standard, its positions and its recognition for export.