In February 2022, 85% of CBD-containing products tested by Swiss cantonal chemists were found to be non-compliant. 73 products were banned from sale because "customer safety could not be guaranteed". The importance of implementing a quality approach and organizing work in an irreproachable way is becoming essential for companies marketing these products. This is the approach taken by Naturalpes, one of Switzerland's leading suppliers of legal CBD.
In a nationwide campaign, the Association of Cantonal Chemists of Switzerland (ACCS) examined 100 different foods containing cannabis or featuring the presence of CBD. It established in a press release issued on February 1, that the sellers of these foodstuffs do not or only to a very limited extent fulfill their legal obligations of self-control. And therefore, that they "do not assume the protection of consumers".
The 73 products withdrawn from sale for safety reasons were marketed by Swiss companies competing with Naturalpes. 28 of these products even presented a "proven health risk" according to the ACCS.
The most striking aspect of these test results is the non-compliance of almost all CBD oils containing cannabis extracts with a high cannabidiol content. Indeed, out of 46 products analysed, 43 have been challenged and are now subject to either a sales ban or product recalls.
On the contrary, in order to protect Swiss consumers, Naturalpes has opted for a demanding quality approach, ISO 9001:2015 certification, and will begin this in-depth work in the course of 2020.
And the results are in: following this national study, Naturalpes is one of the 3 companies that have not had their products banned from sale.
What is ISO 9001 certification?
Of course, product traceability and quality remain essential guarantees of the conformity of the final product with legal requirements.
But what the results of this national campaign show is also the identification of two key elements that a company should integrate in its development. This is to ensure consumer safety and customer satisfaction through :
- building an effective business organisation
- precise monitoring of the evolution of the laws in force and legal requirements thanks to a regulatory watch.
It is these two objectives, the construction of an efficient organisation and regulatory monitoring, that ISO 9001 certification can help to achieve.
This internationally recognised quality approach is based on several principles explained in the document Quality Management Principles:
- a strong customer focus,
- the motivation and commitment of the management,
- the process approach,
- product quality assurance,
- and continuous improvement.
What does this quality process involve?
The ISO process is demanding and well known. The first step is for the company to choose one of the independent organisations accredited by the standard. The latter will carry out an initial audit to measure the gap between the requirements of the standard and the company's practices.
The objective is then to modify practices and meet legal requirements by putting in place procedures and instructions that will guarantee quality and its sustainability. All these requirements are structured in 7 categories:
- Management
- Purchasing
- Production
- Sale
- Distribution
- After-sales service
- Support
Trustworthy support
In order to be accompanied in this work of documentation and structuring of the internal organization, Naturalpes has mandated Alcane Conseils, a firm located in Lausanne, specialized in the accompaniment of companies, individuals and public administrations in the control of their production and their operating system.
"It took hundreds of instructions, procedures, documents and over 400 hours of work to achieve certification."
Philippe Perreten, Audit & Quality System Director of Alcane Conseils
Purchasing, management, processes, ... It is all about controlling and documenting "everything that comes in and everything that goes out of a company" , from machine control to management and server structuring.
Standardisation and documentation: the 2 ISO pillars
The company is carrying out a global and systematic standardization of procedures. Philippe Perreten gives the example of the sealing machine (a machine used to close bags containing products from Naturalpes), which has been the subject of a process change. The objective is to use the correct sealing technique every time and to ensure the repeatability of the bag closure, in order to guarantee the absence of air bubbles and contamination after closure. This information is documented and enables employees, including future ones, to use the machine efficiently.
On September 8, 2021, following a certification audit, Naturalpes was certified by SGS. A surveillance audit will then take place every year for 3 years to guarantee the maintenance of the quality. And the audit that takes place in the year number 3 is more consequent than the others, because it concerns the delivery of a new certificate for a new period of 3 years.
What benefits?
Being ISO 9001:2015 certified has allowed Naturalpes to become a reference player, not in volume and abundance but in precision and quality.
For Naturalpes : a clear and serene marketing
Saving time, constant conformity of products with legal requirements, systematisation of task responsibilities, constant documentation accessible to employees, etc. The benefits of a quality approach are numerous.
Internally, this translates, according to Henri Klunge, founder and director of Alcane Conseils, into "systematic action on who does what, when and how ."
"This ensures the reliability of the products and services provided. Better internal organization also saves the company valuable time by increasing efficiency."
Henri Klunge, founder and director of Alcane Conseils
For Naturalpes, putting the regulatory body at the heart of the company's interests was the essential prerequisite for clear, untroubled marketing of "made in Switzerland" products.
For Naturalpes customers: the assurance of having quality products
As a customer looking for a product containing CBD(oil, herbal tea, flowers, etc.), it can be difficult to find your way around, as the range of products on offer has grown enormously. One thing's for sure: you need to go for a company you can trust, capable of informing you about the raw materials (extraction and processing sites), the processes, the CBD and THC content of the products, etc.
It is therefore in the client's best interest to turn to a company like Naturalpes, which has put the quality of its organization and the conformity of its products at the heart of its activity, and is recognized for this by a quality certification.
It is the assurance of health and serenity.