Halal auditors carry significant responsibility in ensuring a product meets halal standards, which means every decision they make must rest on competence, integrity, thoroughness, and an understanding of constantly evolving regulations. That professionalism needs to be maintained and updated regularly, not only through strengthening technical skills, but also through evaluating the audit processes already in place.

With this in mind, an auditor refresher session paired with an internal audit becomes an important space for updating knowledge, aligning understanding of regulations, and ensuring the inspection process remains objective, accountable, and credible. This understanding formed the basis for UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta's Halal Inspection Agency (LPH) to hold an Auditor Refresher and Internal Audit for Halal Certification on Friday, August 14, 2026. The event was attended by dozens of halal auditors and supervisors.

Chair of UIN Sunan Kalijaga's LPH, Prof. Dr. Ahmad Baidowi, said the refresher is an agenda that needs to be carried out regularly to maintain the quality of inspections, especially given that LPH UIN Sunan Kalijaga has shown steady growth in capacity since it was established in 2020.

"LPH UIN Sunan Kalijaga earned PRATAMA (basic) accreditation in 2022, which was upgraded to UTAMA (primary) accreditation in 2024. To date, the institution has inspected 1,056 business operators, all of whom received halal certification," he explained.

Of that number, 22 were large-scale operators, five were medium-scale, 133 were small-scale, and 896 were micro-scale. With UTAMA-level accreditation, Prof. Baidowi continued, LPH UIN Sunan Kalijaga also has the authority to conduct inspections of business operators across Indonesia as well as abroad. One inspection was even carried out for a business operator in Mongolia.

Regarding this audit, the LPH Chair also reported that LPH UIN Sunan Kalijaga has 21 halal auditors and four sharia auditors with a range of expertise, including chemistry, biology, chemical engineering, pharmacy, and animal husbandry. This diversity of expertise is an important asset as the scope of products requiring halal verification continues to expand.

Meanwhile, Head of UIN Sunan Kalijaga's Bureau of General Administration and Finance (AUK), Dr. Ali Sodiq, emphasized that credibility is LPH's most important asset. In the audit process, he said, even seemingly small mistakes can have major consequences, since they affect public trust in halal certification.

"That's why an auditor's competency can never stop at what they've already learned. Changes in regulation, developments in materials, and the growing complexity of production processes all require auditors to keep updating their knowledge," he said.

He added that this kind of refresher session can serve as a space to strengthen auditors' ability to work objectively and with integrity, maintain confidentiality, sustain their competency, avoid outside interference, and ensure the entire process is properly documented.

The expanding scope of halal requirements has made the challenge of inspection increasingly complex. Where public attention was once focused mainly on food, beverages, and slaughter practices, the scope now extends to medicine, cosmetics, chemical substances, genetically modified products, and general consumer goods.

UIN Sunan Kalijaga's Vice Rector for Student Affairs and Cooperation noted that this development shows halal can no longer be treated simply as a matter of product certification; it has become part of a broader ecosystem spanning industry, education, and global competitiveness.

"Going forward, we want the halal ecosystem at UIN Sunan Kalijaga to keep growing stronger, not only through LPH, but also through human resource development, education, research, and partnerships that support the halal industry," he said.

The refresher session also featured Chair of UIN Sunan Kalijaga's Halal Center, Dr. Imelda Fajriati, who presented updates on regulations and policies governing halal product assurance, including the implementation of Government Regulation No. 42 of 2024 and developments concerning BPJPH's Halal Product Fatwa Committee.

Dr. Imelda, who also serves as an international halal assessor, highlighted LPH's position within the global halal ecosystem. The presence of Foreign Halal Institutions (LHLN), now established across multiple continents, forms part of the infrastructure of Indonesia's halal diplomacy.

According to her, this situation presents both an opportunity and a challenge. Products from other countries that have already received halal recognition can enter the Indonesian market. For domestic business operators, particularly micro and small enterprises, the flow of imported halal products can create competitive pressure.

At this point, Dr. Imelda continued, LPH's role goes beyond administrative inspection; it plays a strategic part in ensuring domestic business operators are able to meet halal standards and remain competitive in an increasingly open market.

Another speaker, Prof. Makhrus, representing MUI DIY, walked participants deeper into the practice of halal auditing and supervision. He explained that auditors need to understand the difference in character between an audit and a supervision.

According to him, it isn't enough for an auditor to simply match documents against information provided by a business operator, inspection has to examine actual conditions on the ground. In certain circumstances, he said, auditors also need to be able to provide clarification when they identify a critical material. The goal isn't merely to find fault, but to make sure the business operator understands exactly what needs to be corrected.

"If a material with an unclear status is found, for example, changes can't be delayed. The auditor needs to clearly communicate the relevant guidance, including alternative materials, sourcing options, and even the possibility of halting production if the issue affects the product's halal status," Prof. Makhrus said.

In this context, auditors also play a role in guiding business operators so they can more easily carry out halal-compliant production.

In this sense, halal auditing is ultimately more than just a process for issuing a certificate. It is a mechanism for building production habits that are more orderly, transparent, and traceable.

For LPH UIN Sunan Kalijaga, strengthening auditor capacity through refresher sessions like this is part of the effort to maintain that trust. As the scope of halal products continues to expand and competition within the halal industry becomes increasingly open, the quality of inspection stands as one of the key factors determining the credibility of Indonesia's halal ecosystem.

Behind every halal certificate lies a responsibility to ensure that the process behind it can truly be accounted for scientifically, regulatorily, and with integrity. (humassk)