Last Updated on November 28, 2025 by Melissa Lazaro

Why Understanding Scoring Matters

If you’re preparing for a BRC audit, you’ve probably already asked yourself: “What score will we get?” or “How many findings can we afford before things go wrong?”

Understanding how the scoring works isn’t just about chasing a letter grade—it’s about understanding what the audit result says about your food-safety culture, consistency, and operational maturity. Over the years working with sites across bakery, ready-to-eat, beverage, and high-care environments, I’ve seen teams stress about scoring simply because they never fully understood how it’s calculated.

By the end of this guide, you’ll know exactly how grading works, how non-conformities affect your score, and what steps protect you from unnecessary penalties. With clarity, the audit process becomes predictable—not a guessing game.

BRC Grading System Overview – A, B, C, D Explained

The BRC grading system is designed to reflect how well a site controls food safety and complies with the requirements. The final grade tells customers and certification bodies how consistent and reliable your systems are—not just on the day of the audit, but every day.

In simple terms:

• A Grade suggests strong compliance with only minor gaps.
• B or C Grades usually indicate inconsistencies or systemic weaknesses that need attention.
• D Grade means the system needs significant improvement and may impact customer confidence.

And here’s something many people don’t realise: unannounced audits don’t change the scoring formula, but they do signal stronger operational reliability to stakeholders.

Pro tip: Don’t fixate on getting an “A.” Focus on building consistency—grades improve naturally when the system is lived, not rehearsed.

Non-Conformity Categories – Minor, Major, Critical Defined

Let’s break this down clearly.

Category	Meaning	Example
Minor	A small deviation with no direct food-safety risk	Missing signature on a CCP record
Major	Systemic failure or potential food-safety risk	Incomplete allergen segregation
Critical	Immediate risk to legal compliance or consumer safety	Undeclared allergen, foreign body, or food fraud risk

One client of mine once received a Major—not because the finding itself was severe, but because there were three separate minors linked to the same topic, which showed a pattern. The lesson? Auditors look at consistency, not one-off mistakes.

Common mistake: Treating minors as harmless. Repeated minors quickly escalate.

How Scoring Is Calculated – Impact of Findings

The scoring framework takes into account:

• The number of findings
• The severity
• Whether issues are repeat findings
• Whether the audit is announced or unannounced

Here’s a simple way to think about it:

• A few unrelated minors? Manageable.
• Several minors in the same clause? Now it’s a pattern.
• One major? Your grade will drop.
• A critical? Certification fails immediately.

Understanding how findings accumulate helps teams prioritize where to focus resources. It also prevents that sinking feeling of “How did we lose points over something so small?”

Timeframes & Corrective-Action Requirements

Once the audit is complete, the clock starts ticking. BRC is strict about this, and missing deadlines can affect certification.

General rules:

• Minor non-conformities: Evidence and corrective action usually due within the defined timeline (often a few weeks).
• Major non-conformities: Shortened submission window and mandatory root-cause analysis.
• Critical non-conformity: Immediate certification suspension or withdrawal.

One facility I worked with avoided recurring late submissions by creating a standard CAPA template and assigning clear ownership the same day the audit closed. Small system, huge difference.

Pro tip: Submit evidence early and clearly—don’t write long essays. Auditors want proof, not stories.

Unannounced Audit Scoring Differences – What Changes & Why

The scoring rules themselves stay the same whether the audit is announced or unannounced. What changes is the expectation of maturity.

Unannounced audits show:

• Daily compliance, not staged readiness
• Leadership confidence in the system
• A culture where staff know why requirements exist—not just what they are

If you achieve an A in an unannounced audit, retailers often view it as a sign of a well-run operation—not just compliant but well-managed.

Using Scoring as a Continuous-Improvement Tool

Once you understand the scoring system, it becomes more than a grading outcome—it’s a roadmap.

Here’s a simple improvement rhythm I’ve seen transform audit performance:

1. Review findings honestly.
2. Prioritize repeat issues first.
3. Train frontline teams—not just leadership.
4. Test your systems before the next audit with internal scoring.

One site I worked with improved from a C to an A (unannounced) simply by shifting ownership: instead of QA chasing compliance, line leaders carried it.

Small change. Big result.

FAQs – BRC Audit Scoring

If we receive a Major, can we still pass?
Yes—but your grade will drop. The corrective action must be completed and verified.

Does a repeat Minor automatically become a Major?
Not automatically, but if it indicates systemic failure, the auditor may escalate it.

Can internal audit scoring predict the real outcome?
Absolutely—if it’s honest and based on evidence, not assumptions.

Conclusion – Turning Scoring Knowledge Into Audit Confidence

Knowing how the BRC scoring system works helps teams shift from uncertainty to strategy. It becomes less about hoping for a good grade and more about building a system that naturally produces one.

When you understand what each grade means, how findings are evaluated, and how corrective actions influence certification, you position your business for long-term success—not just a one-time pass.

If you’re ready to take the next step:

• Download the scoring quick-reference sheet
• Review your internal audit approach
• Or book a scoring review session to benchmark where you stand

Clarity builds confidence—and you’re already one step closer.