Overview

The Supplement Safety and Compliance Initiative (SSCI) is a non-profit foundation that is comprised of major global retailers, distributors, raw material suppliers (including cultivators), raw material manufacturers, finished product manufacturers, certifying bodies and experts in the field of quality control, quality assurance and safety of dietary supplement.  

The vision of SSCI is to elevate the quality and credibility of dietary supplements globally by continuously driving improvements in quality processes. The initiative is focused on engaging and collaborating with stakeholders in the supply chain including cultivators, raw material suppliers and finished product manufacturers with the goal of raising standards of the entire industry.

SSCI OBJECTIVES:

Ensure consistency in the interpretation, auditing, certification and therefore manufacturing of dietary supplements consistent with CFR 111 and demonstrating continuous improvements in GMP standards in order to improve efficiency, manage cost and provide a platform for stakeholders to collaborate and exchange knowledge and information.

The SSCI also consists of Technical Working Groups comprised of experts in multiple areas of dietary supplement safety and authenticity. These groups work on various projects that advance the objectives of SSCI. 

SCOPE:

The key elements of the SSCI have been developed following the model of GFSI (Global Food Safety Initiative), an international foundation that aims to drive continuous improvements in food safety to strengthen consumer confidence globally.  

The key elements of SSCI were drawn from various federal and global requirements and recommendations for authentication, quality and safety including 21 CFR 111, 21 CFR 117, ICH Q7, WHO GACP, etc.  However, the SSCI guidance document is not a dietary supplement safety standard and SSCI itself is not involved in certification or accreditation.