FSSC 22000 focuses on ensuring food safety by defining, evaluating, and controlling potential risks during processing, manufacturing, packaging, storage, transportation, distribution, handling, or offering for sale or supply in any sector of the food chain.

The scheme is owned by the Foundation FSSC 22000. Control Union Certification is only accredited for a subset of the food chain. Third-party certification in the standard can be supplied by FSSC-registered certification bodies. The certification standard is also approved by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI).

The scheme is intended for the audit, certification, and registration of food safety management systems in the following scopes and product categories:

Farming for meat, milk, eggs, and honey (excluding trapping, hunting, and fishing).

Manufacturing of food products such as perishable animal or plant products, ambient stable products, and (bio)chemicals

Manufacturing of food packaging and packaging materials (for example, materials that have direct or indirect contact with the food).

Animal food and feed manufacturing, including pet food, animal feed, and fish feed

Transport and storage services, including those used in the food supply chain.

Catering preparations, storage, and, where appropriate, delivery of food for consumption, either at the site of preparation or at a satellite unit.

Retail and wholesale distribution of finished food products to customers (for example retail outlets and wholesalers).