Can you challenge a non-conformity? Auditors answer
How to discuss or challenge an audit finding professionally, how appeals work, and why 'it's never been raised before' isn't a defence.
Nobody enjoys a non-conformity (NC), and no auditor wants to raise a silly one. Our lead auditors and a certification body Head of Technical shared how to handle findings you disagree with.
Q: Can I discuss or challenge an NC with the auditor?
Yes, please do. Auditees have often shown our auditors a view or interpretation they hadn't considered, and it has changed their mind. Have a professional, constructive conversation at the time the issue is raised, and bring evidence. That avoids long arguments in the closing meeting about who said what. Every BRCGS audit protocol (Part III in Food Safety Issue 9) ends with a closing meeting where findings are presented based on good discussion held during the audit.
Auditors need reminding too: listen. Audits are time sensitive, and it's easy to not truly hear what the auditee is saying.
Q: What if the auditor still raises it?
At some point you accept the finding, but accepting it doesn't mean you have to agree. You can appeal to the certification body, which takes a view independent of the auditor. If that appeal fails, you can appeal to BRCGS. Ask your certification body for its appeals procedure before the audit so you know the timescales.
Certification bodies don't want reports with silly NCs either. Every report goes through a technical review, and an NC judged to be raised incorrectly can be removed even if the site didn't appeal (you will be notified).
Q: I fixed the issue during the audit. Why did I still get a minor?
The audit reflects what the auditor found on the day, so following the protocol, an issue corrected during the audit is still recorded (as rectified). Some auditors let one or two insignificant minors go if fixed on the day, but sites should not treat that as a precedent for the rest of the audit or future audits.
Q: "But this has never been raised by the auditor before!"
The audit is a sampling exercise: no auditor can see everything in one visit. Times change too: what was accepted years ago may not be acceptable now, as requirements, best practice and understanding develop. As long as the NC is fair and explained, it drives continuous improvement. "We've never had to do it before" is a comfort-zone answer, and businesses that don't adapt get left behind. Requirements also change between issues: BRCGS's Guide to Key Changes lists what changes when a standard is updated. Our BRCGS courses cover how findings are graded.
Q: Are BRCGS audits too strict?
Most of our community felt they are about right when the auditor is fair: demanding, but they drive improvement across the supply chain, and that is why BRCGS keeps its GFSI benchmarking. Others felt auditor calibration varies too much, that NCs should never be negotiated down to protect a grade, and that environmental monitoring deserves more emphasis given recalls linked to environmental pathogens such as Listeria.
More short videos on our STC & QTC Explains channel: https://youtube.com/@stcandqtc
Reviewed by Cathy Gladwin, Director & BRCGS ATP Trainer, STC · November 2026
These Q&As share general best practice from our trainers and auditors. They aren't consultancy advice for your site. For support specific to your site and systems, we can refer you to our sister company QTC.
Learn more: see the Level 3 Auditing and Inspection and BRCGS Internal Auditor courses on our course calendar. For a mock audit before your certification audit, talk to QTC.