Why ISO22000 certification costs vary.

Every day, we communicate with production managers, technologists, quality managers, and food business owners.
And one of the first, most honest questions is:
"Why don't you have a fixed price list? Why is my company's price one way and my competitor's another?"
An excellent and completely fair question. It speaks to attention to detail—a fundamental quality in food safety.
So let's take a look behind the scenes at our work and honestly explain what goes into the cost of ISO22000 certification.
Certification is like the perfect suit, but with a HACCP twist.
Imagine you've decided to have a perfect white jacket made for a meeting.
You wouldn't just pick the first size you saw off the rack, would you? No. A tailor will take your measurements, select the fabric, hardware, and add the right number of pockets.
ISO22000 certification is like a customized suit, only for a food safety system.
And here are the "measurements" we take to calculate its true cost.
Factor 1. Scale of your production
The number of employees, workshops, and production lines directly impacts the audit duration.
• Small enterprise: the audit takes a couple of days, processes are visible, and the technologist knows each employee by name.
• Large production complex: dozens of production lines, several warehouses, logistics, laboratory control, and a quality department. A team of auditors is often required to cover everything without losing focus.
Conclusion: the cost depends on the number of man-days the auditors dedicate to your production to ensure an objective and comprehensive assessment.
Factor 2. Complexity of processes and products
Producing bread, packaging spices, and producing semi-finished meat products are completely different tasks.
Different equipment, risks, cleaning methods, temperature control, CCP validation, and monitoring—they are all different! The more complex the process, the more HACCP plans and process steps, the more detailed the audit.
You're not paying for a "paperwork check," but for the expertise of an auditor who speaks the language of food production and understands how a real-life plant operates.
Factor 3. Geography and Number of Sites
If you have a single plant, everything is clear.
But if you have a network of sites, distributed warehouses, production, and packaging in different regions or countries, we must ensure that the food safety management system operates equally effectively everywhere.
This means additional on-site visits, logistics, travel, and time.
Result: Your certificate confirms the quality of the entire network, not just the head office.
Factor 4. System Maturity
Among applicants, two types of companies are most common:
• "Experienced": they already have a robust system in place, proven over the years and through various situations, their staff has completed dozens of training sessions, and a well-established traceability and records management system. • "Beginners": the system is just beginning its life cycle – adjustments, refinements, additional training, and initial experience with crisis situations are required.
Factor 5. Location and Logistics
Sometimes the cost is influenced not by ISO standards, but by simple geography: travel, distance, presence of branches, or seasonal workloads.
We adhere to transparent calculations and include only real organizational costs – no "out-of-the-blue" markups.
Factor 6. Certification Authority Approach
GICSp. zo.o. is an independent certification authority operating on the principles of transparency and individuality.
We:
• analyze the structure of your food business and select the optimal team of auditors with specialized experience in the food industry;
• create a customized audit schedule, taking into account seasonality, shift patterns, and production specifics;
• offer a fair commercial offer – without asterisks or fine print.
Our goal is not simply to issue an ISO22000 certificate, but to improve the effectiveness of your food safety management system. ISO22000 certification is not an expense, it's an investment:
• in the competence of auditors who understand the food industry from the inside,
• in transparency and trust from clients and regulatory authorities,
• in strengthening your reputation and opportunities to work with large chains and export partners.
GICSp. zo.o—certification with understanding
We see the ISO22000 standard not as a set of requirements, but as a living system,
behind the documents—people,
and behind the audit—the path to a confident and sustainable business.
Each GIC certificate is not just a document, but a sign of respect for your work and confirmation that your products are truly safe.