Terms and conditions

BRCGS Directory Terms and Conditions

The Directory (defined below) is operated by BRC Trading Limited (“BRCGS”, “us” or “we”). BRCGS is registered in England and Wales under company number 04281617, with registered office at The Priestley Centre, 10 Priestley Road, Surrey Research Park, Guildford, England, GU2 7XY.

These Terms and Conditions are between BRCGS and the corporate entity (whether a corporation, partnership or limited liability company) that agrees to them (“you”). Access to the Directory is provided on the condition that you accept and comply with these Terms and Conditions. By creating an account, permitting access to Authorised Users, or otherwise using the Directory you confirm agreement to these Terms and Conditions. If you do not agree, you must not create an account, permit access, or use the Directory.

Each of your Authorised Users will be required to review and acknowledge that they understand and accept these Terms and Conditions when logging in to the Directory.

  1. Definitions

 

  • Affiliate: in relation to a party, any entity that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with that party. For the purposes of the foregoing “control” (including the terms “controlled by” and “under common control with”) means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of an entity, whether through the ownership of voting securities, or by contract
  • Audit Record: records relating to an individual site’s assessment against a specific compliance standard (including a BRCGS Standard) which include Audit Reports, Certificates and any additional supporting content and documents 
  • Audit Report: a document detailing audit findings in relation to an individual site’s assessment against a specific compliance standard (including a BRCGS Standard)
  • Audit Owner: a company who has entered into an agreement with a BRCGS approved Certification Body, has had or intends to have an audit carried out to assess compliance of an individual site against a BRCGS Standard and has been or will be assigned an Audit Report in relation to that assessment
  • Authorised User: an employee of you or your Affiliates who is assigned a User Profile by you, in accordance with these Terms and Conditions, and so permitted to access and use the Directory under your Company Account
  • BRCGS Standard: any standard that is developed and published by BRCGS
  • Certificate: a document issued by a Certification Body confirming the scope and outcome of an individual site’s assessment against a specific compliance standard (including a BRCGS Standard)
  • Certification: the process by which a specific site or organisation arranges and is consequently assessed against a BRCGS Standard (or third-party programme, if applicable) via an audit conducted by a BRCGS approved
  • Certification Body: with recognition of the outcome of that audit, and ongoing compliance with that programme, described by a ‘certification status’
  • Certification Body: an organisation operating, or proposing to operate, Certification in relation to a compliance standard
  • Cert Tracker API: API service allowing acquisition of Certification data on a programmatic basis and subject to local implementation by you
  • Company Account: a Directory account which is associated with you
  • Directory: a web-based application hosting Audit Records and allowing access to content from those Audit Records on a permission-controlled basis and includes the Directory Services
  • Directory Assistance Tool: a feature hosted within the Directory allowing users to submit Directory related queries
  • Directory Lite: account type permitting Authorised Users to view Certificate details relating to individual sites with ‘certificated’ status
  • Directory Pro: account type permitting Authorised Users to view Certification data and Audit Records, with supporting tools delivering supplier compliance related services
  • Directory Services: services made available on or via the Directory, including (but not limited to) Directory Lite, Directory Pro, and the Cert Tracker API
  • Login Credentials: username and password used to access the Directory
  • User Profile: a Directory account of an Authorised User designated by you as one of your permitted number of User Profiles
  • Webstore: BRCGS e-commerce platform facilitating transactional purchase of Directory Services

 

2. Directory

2.1. Services

2.1.1. The Directory is an online application that provides access to Certification and audit information for sites assessed against BRCGS Standards and/or third-party supply chain assurance programmes. The Directory displays the Certification status of each site which is maintained and updated directly by the relevant Certification Body.

2.1.2. Access to the Directory is role-based and may vary depending on the type of user and the specific service or subscription purchased. Certain features, data fields or functions may be restricted or unavailable to some users. BRCGS reserves the right to modify access rights or service features at any time in accordance with your appliable subscription.

3. Directory Content

3.1. License and Ownership

3.1.1. BRCGS grants you a non-exclusive, non-transferable, non-sublicensable, revocable right to use the subscribed-for Directory and any data, information, documents, reports, certificates, text, images, graphics, interfaces or other materials made available on or via the Directory, and/or the Cert Track API if applicable, (collectively the “Content”) for your own internal, non-commercial purposes in accordance with these Terms and Conditions.

3.1.2. You acquire no rights or licenses in or to the Directory or its Content other than the limited rights expressly granted under these Terms and Conditions.

3.1.3. The Directory and its Content are the property of BRCGS, its Affiliates and contributors and are protected by copyright laws, trademark laws, database rights and other intellectual property rights.

3.2. Use of Content

3.2.1. Your level of access to Content is determined in accordance with whether you are a Directory Lite or Directory Pro account holder and if you hold a Directory Pro account, your relevant subscription to the Directory Pro features, including any subscription for the Cert Tracker API.

3.2.2. Depending on your level of access in accordance with Clause 3.2.1, you may view and/or download Content solely for your internal supplier compliance and approval purposes and your rights to use the Directory and Content is limited to this scope.

3.2.3. Content is provided for your internal business purposes only. This includes, but is not limited to, internal quality assurance, compliance monitoring, supplier management and supply chain risk assessment. Authorised Users may upload or integrate Content into third-party platforms (such as supplier chain management systems) used strictly for your own internal company purposes.

3.2.4. In connection with your use of the Directory and its Content you agree to not, and shall ensure that your Authorised Users who hold a User Profile will not:

(a) copy, duplicate, transmit, modify, adapt, distribute, display, resell, make available to the public, or create any derivative works from any Content except as expressly permitted under these Terms and Conditions;

(b) share any Directory Lite Content with any person who does not hold an active Directory Lite or Pro account;

(c) share any Directory Pro Content with any person who does not hold an active Directory Pro account;

(d) conduct, facilitate, authorise or permit any text or data mining or web scraping of the Directory and its Content for any purpose including the development of training, fine-tuning or validation of AI systems or models;

(e) use any robot, bot, spider, scraper or other automated device, program, tool, algorithm, code, process or methodology to access, obtain, copy, monitor or republish any portion of the Directory or its Content;

(f) disassemble, reverse engineer, or decompile the Directory or any part of it in order to build a competitive product or service, build a product or service using similar ideas, features, functions or graphics, or copy any ideas, features, functions or graphics;

(g) knowingly introduce viruses, trojans, worms, logic bombs or other material that is malicious or technologically harmful, or otherwise harmfully interacting with the Directory or any part of it;

(h) attempt to, or allow a third party to attempt to, gain unauthorised access to the Directory, the server on which the Directory is stored, or any server, database, networks or other equipment connected with the Directory, or interfere with, damage or disrupt any software, used in the provision of the Directory;

(i) attempt to circumvent any restrictions imposed on your use or access of the Directory; and

(j) violate of any applicable national or international law, statute, regulation or other rules in force from time to time.

3.2.5. BRCGS reserves the right to immediately suspend or remove your Company Account, and any associated User Profiles, without notice if it becomes aware of, or reasonably believes, you, or any of Your Authorised Users, have breached any of the restrictions on use set out at Clause 3.2.4.

3.3. Uploading Content

3.3.1. Whenever you, or your Authorised User, make use of a feature that allows you to upload any data, information, documents, reports, certificates or other content to the Directory and/or share such content with other Directory account holders, you grant BRCGS a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free, transferable, sub-licensable, perpetual licence to use, store, copy, reproduce, distribute, display, make available and prepare derivative works of that content in connection with providing the services and features on the Directory. For the avoidance of doubt, BRCGS acknowledges the confidential nature of Audit Reports and BRCGS will not automatically make Audit Reports publicly available on the Directory – please refer to Clause 3.4 below (Content Sharing within the Directory).

3.3.2. BRCGS reserves the right to edit or remove any material submitted to the Directory, or stored on our servers, or hosted or published upon the Directory.

3.3.3. Notwithstanding BRCGS’ rights under these Terms & Conditions in relation to the Content, BRCGS does not undertake to monitor the submission of such content to, or the publication of such content on, the Directory.

3.4. Content Sharing by Audit Owners within the Directory

This Clause 3.4 applies to Audit Owners only.

3.4.1. By default, only Certificates are accessible via the Directory to other Directory account holders, however, you may elect to share other Audit Records, for which you have been nominated as the owner by a Certification Body, with other Directory account holders. This shared access may be rescinded at any time at your discretion. BRCGS shall not be liable for any loss, damage, or other liabilities arising out of or in connection with the sharing, including any decision to rescind shared access, of your Audit Records with other Directory account holders.

3.4.2. You may also elect to restrict access by other Directory account holders to your information on the Directory as follows:

(a) remove access to view and download the PDF format of Certificates assigned to you by a Certification Body; and/or

(b) remove publication of your site identifying information so that only the site code and current Certification status are displayed publicly

(“Restricted Status”).

3.4.3. Restricted Status can only be applied to Certificates, and their related content, which have a ‘certificated’ or ‘expired’ status and cannot be applied to Certificates, and their related content, in a ‘withdrawn’ or ‘suspended’ status.

3.5. Content Retention

BRCGS shall retain Audit Records on the Directory for 4 years following the expiry date of the corresponding Certificate or where no Certificate has been issued, the relevant audit finish date. Following this period, the relevant Audit Records shall cease to be available on the Directory and will only be accessible in PDF format via request through the Directory Assistance Tool.

4. Account Management and Security

4.1. You will:

4.1.1. provide BRCGS with accurate and complete information on all Directory registration forms that are part of the Directory, in particular relating to your Company Account and User Profiles;

4.1.2. represent and warrant that the individual accepting these Terms and Conditions and that creates and operates your Company Account is authorised to do so on your behalf;

4.1.3. be responsible for the acts and omissions of any Authorised User as if they were the acts and omissions of you;

4.1.4. ensure that the number of Authorised Users does not exceed any amount set out in your subscription package;

4.1.5. ensure that each Authorised User keeps their login and password details confidential and does not share them with any other person or allow any other person to use them;

4.1.6. ensure that each Authorised User uses their log in details to conduct business on behalf of you and your Affiliates only;

4.1.7. ensure that an Authorised User is only one individual (natural) person; and

4.1.8. be responsible for managing the use of all login details made available to you and your Authorised Users and for timely de-activation of User Profiles of individuals who are no longer you, or your Affiliates, employees or no longer require access to the Directory.

4.2. In relation to the Authorised Users, you undertake that:

4.2.1. the maximum number of Authorised Users that you authorise to access and use the Directory shall not exceed the number of User Profile logins included as part of the subscription package;

4.2.2. you will not allow any Authorised User’s login details to be used by more than one individual Authorised User;

4.2.3. each Authorised User shall keep a secure password for their use of the Directory and that each Authorised User shall keep their password confidential;

4.2.4. you will notify BRCGS immediately if you becomes aware that any Authorised User’s Directory login or password details have been lost, stolen or shared in breach of these Terms and Conditions, the Directory has been accessed on your behalf otherwise than in accordance with the terms of these Terms and Conditions, or that there has been any other breach of security of the Directory;

4.2.5. you shall maintain a written, up to date list of current Authorised Users;

4.2.6. your Authorised Users will be your, or your Affiliates, employees only, unless otherwise agreed by BRCGS in writing.

4.3. BRCGS may immediately suspend or remove your Company Account and/or User Profiles without notice if it becomes aware of, or reasonably believes, you have breached Clause 4.1 or 4.2 and such breach could give rise to civil liability.

4.4. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we will not be liable for any loss or damage arising from unauthorised use of your Company Account and/or User Profiles where this occurs without our fault and without our permission.

5. Directory Services and Fees

5.1. BRCGS reserves the right to vary its prices for the Directory Services from time to time and updated prices will be as stated on the BRCGS website.

5.2. Directory Lite Accounts

5.2.1. Directory Lite access is free of charge.

5.2.2. You may designate an unlimited number of individual Directory Lite User Profiles under your Directory Lite Company Account on a self-serve basis via the Directory. BRCGS will remove and archive your Directory Lite Company Account and/or any associated Directory Lite User Profile if not utilised via sign-in for a continuous period of more than 12 months. 

5.3. Directory Pro Accounts

5.3.1. Directory Pro is a paid for service.

5.3.2. You may purchase a 12-month subscription to Directory Pro by payment via the Webstore of the relevant annual fee. Access to the service shall be granted following company and payment verification by BRCGS.

5.3.3. Your purchase of a Directory Pro subscription is non-refundable.

5.3.4. If you hold a Directory Pro Company Account with a discount applied due to your eligibility as an Audit Owner, then that discounted access will cease three (3) months following the expiry date of your most recent Certification and you will be required to purchase a subscription to the Directory in accordance with Clause 5 to continue your access to Directory Pro. If no such purchase is made, BRCGS will remove access to the Directory Pro features (including access to the Cert Tracker API if applicable) from your Company Account and User Profiles.

5.4. Cert Tracker API Accounts

5.4.1. Cert Tracker API is a paid for service.

5.4.2. You may purchase access to the Cert Tracker API for 12 months by payment via the Webstore of the relevant fee. Access to the service shall be granted following company and payment verification by BRCGS.

5.4.3. Your purchase of a Cert Tracker API access is non-refundable.

5.4.4. Upon purchase of access to the Cert Tracker API BRCGS shall grant you a non-exclusive, non-transferable, non-sublicensable, revocable licence to access and use the Cert Tracker API solely for internal business purposes and only in accordance with these Terms and Conditions. For the avoidance of doubt, the restrictions under Clause 3.2 also apply to the Cert Tracker API and any Content you, or your Authorised Users, access through the Cert Tracker API.

5.4.5. Your use, and your Authorised Users use, of the Cert Tracker API shall be restricted to retrieving and displaying Content relevant to your paid-for subscription.

5.4.6. You may provide feedback on the API to us, but we shall not be obliged to take any action in response to the feedback.

6. Term and Termination

6.1. These Terms and Conditions shall remain in force for as long as you use the Directory.

6.2. Your subscription to Directory Pro and the Cert Track API (as applicable) shall commence following company and payment verification by BRCGS in accordance with Clause 5 and will continue for one (1) year unless terminated earlier in accordance with this Clause 6. You may renew your subscription through the Webstore by purchasing a further annual subscription to Directory Pro and the Cert Tracker API (as applicable). In limited circumstances, BRCGS may agree to payment by invoice for the relevant fee which must be paid within 30 days of receipt of invoice in the currency specified. In such cases the subscription shall commence following receipt of payment.

6.3. If you do not renew your subscription to Directory Pro in accordance with Clause 6.2 above, your Directory Pro Company Account shall be converted to a Directory Lite Company Account and the same shall apply to all User Profiles associated with your Company Account.

6.4. If you do not renew your subscription to the Cert Tracker API in accordance with Clause 6.2 above, your access to the Cert Tracker API shall be removed from your Company Account and any associated User Profiles.

6.5. Either party may terminate these Terms and Conditions at its discretion by notice in writing if the other party: (a) is unable to pay its debts; (b) is insolvent; (c) enters any form of bankruptcy, either compulsorily or voluntarily; (d) is subject to a receiver or other third party (including without limitation a garnishor, chargor or bailiff) being appointed over or taking or attempting to take possession of any the party's assets; (e) takes or suffers any steps that could lead to the appointment of any insolvency office holder; or (f) undergoes any analogous occurrence under foreign law.

6.6. BRCGS may terminate these Terms and Conditions by notice in writing if you are in breach of these Terms and Conditions and, where such breach is remediable, you fail to remedy the same within fourteen (14) days of receipt of a written request from BRCGS to do so. BRCGS reserves the right to suspend or remove your Corporate Account and/or User Profile(s) subject to your remediation of a remedial breach of these Terms and Conditions to BRCGS’ reasonable satisfaction.

6.7. Upon termination of these Terms and Conditions:

6.7.1. all rights and licenses in and to the Directory (for the avoidance of doubt, this includes the Cert Tracker API) and its Content granted under these Terms and Conditions shall immediately terminate;

6.7.2. you, and your Authorised Users, shall immediately cease to use the Directory;

6.7.3. at the request of BRCGS, you shall return or destroy all Content in your, and your Authorised Users’ possession and/ or control and shall confirm in writing to BRCGS that you, and your employees, have complied with this clause; and

6.7.4. any fees paid to BRCGS prior to termination shall be non-refundable, regardless of date of termination.

7. Personal Data and Cookies

7.1. For the purposes of this Clause 7, BRCGS has adopted the definitions used in the EU General Data Protection Regulation (EU 2016/679) (“GDPR”), the UK General Data Protection Regulation (“UK GDPR”) and the Data Protection Act 20119 (“DPA”) (together the “Data Protection Legislation”).

7.2. BRCGS shall Process user Personal Data in accordance with the Directory Privacy Policy. We will use the information about users that we obtain either directly from you or users, or that we obtain through your or users use of the Directory in accordance with the Directory Privacy Policy.

7.3. The Directory uses cookies. Please refer to the BRCGS Cookies Policy, as updated from time to time, for information on the cookies we use and why.

8. Warranties

8.1. WE DO NOT WARRANT THE COMPLETENESS OR ACCURACY OF THE INFORMATION PUBLISHED ON THE DIRECTORY; NOR DO WE COMMIT TO ENSURING THAT THE DIRECTORY REMAINS AVAILABLE OR THAT THE MATERIAL ON THE DIRECTORY IS KEPT UP-TO-DATE.

8.2. USE OF THE DIRECTORY IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. THE DIRECTORY IS PROVIDED ON A “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE” BASIS. BRCGS AND ITS AFFILIATES, SUPPLIERS AND PARTNERS EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, CONDITIONS, REPRESENTATIONS, RIGHTS OBLIGATIONS, LIABILITIES AND OTHER TERMS WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED BY STATUTE OR COMMON LAW IN CONNECTION WITH THE DIRECTORY AND ITS CONTENT.

8.3. BRCGS AND ITS AFFILIATES, SUPPLIERS AND PARTNERS MAKE NO WARRANTY THAT (i) THE DIRECTORY OR ANY SERVICES PURCHASED THROUGH THE DIRECTORY WILL MEET YOUR REQUIREMENTS; (ii) THE DIRECTORY WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED, TIMELY, SECURE, OR ERROR-FREE; OR (iii) THAT THERE WILL BE NO ERRORS IN THE DIRECTORY OR THAT BRCGS WILL FIX ANY ERRORS. ANY MATERIALS OBTAINED THROUGH USE OF THE DIRECTORY ARE OBTAINED AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION AND RISK AND BRCGS SHALL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGE CAUSED TO YOUR COMPUTER OR DATA OR FOR ANY BUGS, VIRUSES, TROJAN HORSES, OR OTHER DESTRUCTIVE CODE RESULTING FROM USE OF THE DIRECTORY OR ANY CONTENT OBTAINED FROM THE DIRECTORY.

8.4. YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE CONTENT IS PROVIDED BY CERTIFICATION BODIES AND/OR BRCGS AUDIT OWNERS. THE CONTENT REFLECTS THE MOST UP TO DATE INFORMATION THAT DIRECTORY USERS HAVE UPLOADED TO THE DIRECTORY AND BRCGS SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY LOSS, DAMAGE, OR OTHER LIABILITIES ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH YOUR RELIANCE ON THE CONTENT.

9. Liability

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED UNDER LAW, BRCGS AND ITS AFFILIATES, SUPPLIERS AND PARTNERS HAVE NO OBLIGATION OR LIABILITY (WHETHER ARISING IN CONTRACT, WARRANTY, TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE), PRODUCT LIABILITY OR OTHERWISE) FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, PUNITIVE, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR LIABILITIES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ANY LOSS OF DATA, REVENUE OR PROFIT) ARISING FROM OR RELATED TO YOUR USE OF THE DIRECTORY OR ANY CONTENT PROVIDED BY OR THROUGH THE DIRECTORY, EVEN IF BRCGS HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES IN ADVANCE. NOTWITHSTANDING ANYTHING TO THE CONTRARY CONTAINED HEREIN, BRCGS’S LIABILITY AND THE LIABILITY OF EACH OF ITS OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, INVESTORS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, LICENSORS, SUPPLIERS, SERVICE PROVIDERS AND OTHER CONTRACTORS TO YOU OR ANY THIRD PARTIES ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE IS LIMITED TO A MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF THE FEES PAID BY YOU TO BRCGS UNDER THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS.

10. Availability of the Directory

BRCGS does not guarantee that your access to the Directory or its Content will always be available or uninterrupted. BRCGS may suspend, withdraw or restrict the availability of all or any part of the Directory for business and operational reasons. BRCGS shall use reasonable endeavours to provide prior notice of any such suspension, withdrawal or restriction.

11. Modifications and Amendments

11.1. BRCGS may amend these Terms and Conditions from time to time to comply with any changes in applicable law or for changing business needs. BRCGS shall use reasonable endeavours to provide prior notice of any such amendments. These terms were most recently updated on 26 September 2025.

11.2. BRCGS may update the Directory from time to time to reflect, without limitation, changes to the Directory services and features, and its users’ needs. BRCGS shall use reasonable endeavours to provide prior notice of any major changes to the Directory, Directory Services and our users' needs.

12. Force Majeure

If BRCGS is unable (whether temporarily or permanently) to supply the Directory as a result of events, circumstances or causes beyond BRCGS’s reasonable control (which shall include acts of God, governmental action, war or national emergency, acts of terrorism, riot, civil commotion, fire, explosion, flood, epidemic, lock-outs, currency restrictions, strikes or other labour dispute), BRCGS may suspend access to the Directory and this shall not give rise to any claims by you. If the force majeure event is ongoing for 60 days, then BRCGS may terminate these Terms and Conditions and this shall not give rise to any claims by you.  

13. Governing law and Jurisdiction

These Terms and Conditions shall be governed by and interpreted pursuant to the laws of the England and Wales. All disputes arising out of or in connection to these Terms and Conditions shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

14. General

14.1. You shall not assign these Terms and Conditions or any part thereof without the written consent of BRCGS. BRCGS may assign these Terms and Conditions or any part thereof to any member of the LGC group of companies or its successors. BRCGS shall be entitled to subcontract any part of the Services to be provided hereunder.

14.2. Each right or remedy of the parties under these Terms and Conditions is without prejudice to any other right or remedy of the parties whether under these Terms and Conditions or not.

14.3. If any provision of these Terms and Conditions shall be held to be illegal, invalid or unenforceable in whole or in part, either under enactment or rule of law, such provision or part shall to that extent be deemed not to form part of these Terms and Conditions but the legality, validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions of these Terms and Conditions shall not be affected.

14.4. Any waiver by a party of any breach of, or any default under, any provision of these Terms and Agreement by the other party shall be in writing and will not be deemed a waiver of any subsequent breach or default and will in no way affect the other terms or conditions of these Terms and Conditions.

14.5. No term or condition of these Terms and Conditions is enforceable under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 by any person who is not a party to these Terms and Conditions. The parties may exercise, without the consent of any third party, any rights they may have to amend or rescind these Terms and Conditions.

14.6. A reference to a statute or statutory provision is a reference to it as amended or re-enacted and a reference to a statute or statutory provision includes all subordinate legislation made under that statute or statutory provision.