Responsibility of a Kashrus Agency
By Rabbi Don Yoel Levy
T
o whom is the kashrus agency responsible? It seems like a strange question. Of course, we are obligated first and foremost to Hashem! The core of a kashrus agency’s responsibility is to ensure that all the products under its certification are 100% kosher. As we delve into this matter, we find that a kashrus agency actually has a very complicated balance of responsibilities. The agency is accountable to Hashem, but it also has responsibilities towards the consumer public, the certified companies, and, finally, to itself and its reputation.
A kashrus agency’s responsibility toward the consumer public is a given. The agency is providing a service to kosher consumers and the consumer relies on the kosher supervision when purchasing products for oneself and one’s family. It goes without saying that the kashrus agency has an obligation to disclose its kashrus standards and alert the consumer when there is 16 • www.OK.org
a kashrus issue. The kashrus agency’s obligation to the certified company is multi-faceted. (Of course, we are not discussing a company who would like to “just” receive certification with the least hassle. Nor are we discussing an agency wanting to provide certification with the least effort on their part.) The agency must provide the best possible
kashrus certification, because that is what one is contracted for. In addition, the agency has to provide proper customer service to the company. This includes answering questions and submissions in a timely manner, problem-solving, providing competent, professional mashgichim, providing proper documentation, and so on. The kashrus agency also has a responsibility to back up the company when false allegations are made about the company’s kashrus status. When such slander occurs, it is imperative that the certified company can rely on the backing of its kashrus agency and its efforts to preserve the company’s reputation. In addition to balancing responsibilities towards consumers and certified