Applying for Halal Certification? Three Things Businesses Must Prepare

Halal certification is an important aspect for businesses to consider in maintaining the quality of their products and consumer confidence. In addition to helping businesses comply with applicable requirements, certification provides assurance that products are halal through an examination process conducted in accordance with established procedures.

Amid increasingly intense business competition, consumers consider not only price and product quality, but also safety, raw materials and the information provided about products. Businesses therefore need to ensure that their production processes and product management meet the stipulated requirements.

For micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), understanding halal certification is also important so that they can prepare their applications from the outset. Here are some points to consider before applying for halal certification.

1. Understand the requirements and routes for halal certification

The first step for businesses is to understand the halal certification requirements for their type of product and scale of operation. This enables them to choose the appropriate application route and learn about the stages involved.

Applications for halal certification are submitted through SIHALAL, the system operated by the Halal Product Assurance Agency (BPJPH). In general, applicants can use either the regular route or the self-declare route, subject to the applicable requirements.

Under the regular route, product halal status is examined by a Halal Inspection Agency (LPH). The self-declare route, meanwhile, is intended for businesses that meet certain criteria and must follow the required assistance and halal determination process.

Businesses should therefore study the criteria for each route before applying. Choosing the appropriate route can help ensure that the certification process proceeds in a more organised way.

2. Prepare product, raw-material and document information

The next step is to ensure that the required product information and documents are available. Businesses should compile a list of their products, record the raw materials used and prepare information about their production processes in line with certification requirements.

Recording ingredients is important because a product’s halal status depends not only on the finished product, but also on the materials used and how it is processed. Clear, documented information can help make the examination more systematic.