For contract manufacturers of sports and dietary supplements, the risk of contamination with low levels of substances prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is a serious issue. The Informed Manufacturer programme was created by LGC, and is a member of the INFORMED family of certification programmes, globally recognised in quality assurance and testing of sports and dietary nutrition products, ingredients and facilities. It enables third-party supplement manufacturers to optimise quality control procedures to reduce the risk of banned substance contamination within the facility.
Through years of research and analysis of more than 50,000 supplements, LGC has identified that standard quality control practices may not be enough to stop cross-contamination with low levels of substances prohibited in sport. LGC’s expertise enables facilities to minimise the risk of cross-contamination occurring using a combination of facility testing and assessment.
Informed Manufacturer is a unique certification that provides an in-depth analysis of critical control processes. Through regular site audits and manufacturing facility swabbing, Informed Manufacturer helps first and third-party supplement manufacturers identify and resolve risk within their processes.
Please note that site certification does NOT mean that finished products have been tested. Informed Manufacturer certification does not involve any finished product testing, only that the site has committed to an ongoing assessment and swab testing in order to minimise cross-contamination of WADA prohibited substances.
Stage 1: Site Audit
A desk-based audit of your site is performed by experienced auditors who assess the site against the requirements of the Informed Manufacturer Global Standard. Completing the audit process helps sites identify and reduce the risk of cross-contamination with banned substances throughout their facilities.
Stage 2: Site Visit and Swab Testing
A member of the Informed Manufacturer team will visit your site to inspect the it and take swab samples at various critical control points for analysis. The swabs are then tested at LGC for over 285 prohibited substances using validated analytical methods. You will receive a written report of findings that also includes any recommendations and/or non-conformities.
Download Our Certification Process Guide
Stage 3: Certification Completion, Logo Use and Web Listing
Once any non-conformities from your stage two visit are closed out, the site will be accepted for certification with Informed Manufacturer and you will receive your certificate. From this point, your company is able to use the Informed Manufacturer logo in association with the certified site. We will send you the ‘Informed Manufacturer Brand Standards’ which explains how the logo can be used and how best to market your new certification. Your site will be also be included in our online database of certified manufacturers, where your profile will allow prospective customers to review your production capabilities as well as images of your facilities.
Stage 4: Recertification
Each year a recertification audit will be performed, which includes collection and testing of facility swab samples and a desk-based audit of the site and manufacturing policies and procedures. This is a straightforward, yet robust auditing process, designed to ensure the site maintains the high standards required to claim certification with Informed Manufacturer. Providing the site remains in conformance to the programme requirements, a new certificate will be issued following completion of the swab testing and audit, and listing on the Informed Manufacturer website will continue.