Chasing Paper Aeroplanes

A report from ChecQR

Why record-keeping is failing good teams

Manual logs, siloed spreadsheets or site-specific binders: our research shows these legacy approaches are increasingly a weak link in modern safety compliance.

Download the report to understand why many organisations are rethinking their record-keeping and what your next steps could be.

Register now to get your copy of the 2025 ChecQR report

Our new report Chasing Paper Aeroplanes reveals why manual compliance or safety logbooks, spreadsheets, and siloed documentation are becoming a compliance risk.

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What this report reveals

Through analysis of audit findings, compliance failures and record-keeping practices across a range of food producers, manufacturers and wholesalers, the report identifies a clear pattern:

  • A significant proportion of non-conformities in audits stem not from failures in procedure, but from gaps in documentation, inconsistent records or lack of traceability between sites.
  • Multi-site operations face disproportionately high risk: where each location uses its own paper-based logs or spreadsheets, documentation standards diverge, increasing the chance of missing entries, outdated procedures or incorrectly archived records.
  • Organisations using more structured, centralised record-keeping (whether paper-consolidated or hybrid) report smoother audit preparation.
  • The pressure is mounting under modern certification frameworks (such as FSSC 22000 or ISO 22000, and equivalents like BRCGS) where documentation, traceability and controlled record-keeping are fast becoming de facto expectations.

Why 71% of professionals...

...are still chasing missing records each month.

What consultants and managers really need...

...from their systems (and aren’t getting).

How paper and disconnected processes create risk...

...rather than resilience.

What you'll get

The report blends hard data, sector standards and behavioural insight to offer a practical, non-salesy look at:

  • The state of compliance processes today
  • What’s driving operational friction across industries
  • Straightforward takeaways for building better systems
  • The role consultants can play in making things clearer, not more complex
Who it's for

This report is ideal for:

  • Quality, HSE and site leads under SALSA, BRCGS, ISO or FSSC frameworks
  • Compliance consultants supporting multiple businesses
  • Food production or manufacturing managers
  • Operational teams preparing for audits

Register now

Our report is now live! Complete the form and get access immediately.