By: Fadila, Halal Auditor and LPPOM MUI Post Audit
Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are a motor of the nation’s economy. According to kemenkopukm.go.id, in 2019, there were more than 65 million MSMEs in Indonesia which absorbed nearly 120 million workers. Can you imagine how many families whose economy depends on the MSME sector?
Unfortunately, the abundant number of MSMEs does not necessarily improve the welfare of the Indonesian people. In their application in the field, MSMEs face many obstacles. Common problems faced by MSMEs include inconsistent product quality and the difficulty of marketing finished products.
The Halal Product Assurance System (SJPH; or Halal Product Assurance System) is a standard developed by the Assessment Institute for Foods, Drugs, and Cosmetics Indonesian Council of Ulama (LPPOM MUI) and adopted by the Halal Product Assurance Agency (BPJPH). If appropriately implemented, this standard can guarantee product quality and halal consistency.
If SJPH is appropriately implemented, MSMEs can maintain the quality of their products. This is supported by several criteria, including:
1. Training and Education
Periodic training activities and post-training evaluations will improve the ability and understanding of the entire team. The training evaluation results can be used to assess if there are personnel who do not yet have the required level of knowledge so that the follow-up given can be more specific and efficient (for example, retraining these personnel). Newly joined personnel will receive training to equalize understanding with senior personnel.
2. Material
With an approved list of ingredients, businesses can ensure that products are only produced using materials with consistent specifications and quality. The dynamic implementation of SJPH allows companies to add alternative materials that the internal team of business actors has previously selected.
3. Written Procedures for Critical Activities
This point can guarantee that the product processing stages are consistent. Even though there is a change in personnel, business actors have written procedures for critical halal activities carried out, for example, by having provisions for inspection of incoming materials, provisions/SOPs for production, provisions/SOPs for trials, and provisions/SOPs for selecting new materials. These procedures allow even new personnel to ensure the production process runs in the appropriate corridor.
4. Internal Audits
This criterion makes it possible that if there are findings, they can be followed up and corrected so that these findings are not repeated in the future.
5. Internal Audit and Management Review
This makes it possible to carry out periodic checks on the implementation of HAS in the company so that the top management or company leaders know about the latest activities carried out by the team at the location. If there is a discrepancy, the root of the problem can be formulated and a solution sought.
LPPOM MUI has been involved for 34 years in halal certification and has collaborated with hundreds of companies at home and abroad. Millions of products have been certified halal with provisions for raw materials whose origins must be clear. The database of halal products and raw materials collected so far is very diverse and easily accessible with good documentation.
Business actors have entered a complex halal supply chain ecosystem by carrying out halal certification through LPPOM MUI. The following are several steps that need to be carried out by business actors, especially MSMEs when registering halal certificates.
· Checking the ‘Publish‘ sign on the product name so that it can be published on the LPPOM MUI website ( www.halalmui.org ) makes it easier if someone wants to find a product with the appropriate criteria. Auditors in the field often ask, “Why is there an option not to check/not publish?”. The answer is that LPPOM MUI understands that business actors have a lot of business processes. There may be business people who sell products on a B2B (business to business) basis so that it can be misused when it becomes known to the general public.
· Provide specific product names (such as brands) and general (such as product types/groups). That way, when website users only do searches with general keywords such as ‘meat kebab’, the product in question can appear in search results—for example, XYZ Meat Kebabs.
In addition, LPPOM MUI continues to encourage MSME actors to carry out halal certification. LPPOM MUI actualizes this support in the Syawal Festival program, a yearly routine agenda. The schedule includes facilitating halal certification and technical guidance (BIMTEK) for UMK and training of trainers (TOT) for communities and halal influencers. In addition, LPPOM MUI also cooperates with various institutions in Indonesia in terms of facilitating halal certification. By carrying out halal certification, MSME products will have added value and be ready to compete with local and international products.
