COMPARING GLOBAL FOOD SAFETY INITIATIVE (GFSI) RECOGNISED STANDARDS A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE GFSI BENCHMARKED FOOD SAFETY STANDARDS APRIL 2011 AUTHORS Supreeya Sansawat Global Food Business Manager, SGS Victor Muliyil Technical Manager for North America Food Safety Services, SGS ABSTRACT This document aims to provide an and the GLOBALG.A.P. For each of a customised single food audit. This overview of the Global Food Safety these, the requirements, benefits and could be of benefit because food safety Initiative (GFSI) and what it means for certification processes are reviewed. standards have an extensive cross-over an international food safety standard There are five further schemes that with environmental, health & safety to be GFSI approved. It then goes on are covered in brief. The most generic and quality standards. A further issue to discuss each of the GFSI approved of the schemes and those most is that there is not necessarily one schemes individually looking in detail commonly adopted by branded goods ‘optimal fit’ food safety standard for at the key schemes which are offered manufacturers (FSSC 22000, BRC, SQF any given organisation. This means by the Global Food Standard (BRC), 2000 and IFS) are then compared, by that a combination of schemes brought FSSC 22000, the International Features discussing the criteria, similarities and together in one audit procedure may be Standard Food (IFS Food), the Safe differences between the schemes. a more suitable solution. Quality Food SQF 2000 and 1000 The paper then looks at the merits of CONTENTS I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 2 II. THE GLOBAL FOOD SAFETY INITIATIVE 3 III. GFSI RECOGNISED FOOD SAFETY SCHEMES 5 IV. A COMPARISON ON THE GFSI RECOGNISED SCHEMES 16 V. COMBINING GFSI RECOGNISED SCHEMES WITH THOSE RELATED TO THE ENVIRONMENT, HEALTH & SAFETY AND QUALITY 24 VI. CONCLUSION 25 1 I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Retailers, manufacturers, foodservice they were purchasing and eating was as more and more organisations within operators, caterers, industry guaranteed as safe for consumption, the the industry are expecting entire associations, technical experts and unneccesarily repetitive audits needed supply chains for a given product to governments all have one thing in to be reduced. It was also important prove this capability. Organisations common when it comes to food safety. that, as food supply chains stretch audited and certified through a GFSI They recognise that consumers’ across the globe, any industry solution approved scheme increase their confidence dropped to an all time low covers both the end-to-end supply chain chances of being a chosen supplier to after a number of public food scares and is able to influence the industry on retailers and/or manufacturers who sent shock waves through the industry an international scale. As a result of all demand their suppliers hold a GFSI just over ten years ago. As with many these combined issues, the Global Food approved certification. The vision of industries, this widespread concern Safety Initiative (GFSI) was developed. the GFSI benchmark of ‘once certified, for safety prompted action. Retailers/ All interested parties around the world accepted everywhere’, is moving in branded manufacturers began to audit joined forces to support the creation of the direction of being realised, both their suppliers so that they could feel a benchmarking and approval scheme across the industry and across the confident in their suppliers’ abilities to that would lay the foundations for an world. With a number of international meet their food safety system demands. industry-wide expectation in terms GFSI approved food safety standards This meant that suppliers often found of food safety management system now available competitive suppliers are themselves being repeatedly audited by deliverables. This then became the already certificated, seeking certification individual customers, creating a massive benchmark against which all food safety or developing their processes and duplication of audit procedures. standards can be tested, verifying identifying the best certification scheme The industry soon came together to that the standard once gained by an for their organisation. The hope is that look at what could be done to improve organisation, proves they are producing as this becomes even more widespread, the situation and reduce the strain or handling food at the level of consumer confidence can be fully on suppliers while maintaining the safety specified. restored and food scares can become a required safety levels. While consumers Holding a GFSI approved certification thing of the past. needed a reassurance that the food is fast becoming an industry standard 2 II. THE GLOBAL FOOD SAFETY INITIATIVE (GFSI) The Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) As a result of this continued duplication CEOs and senior management from was originally set-up as a result of food of audits, the GFSI set out to develop 650 retailers, manufacturers, service safety scares in early 2000. Its primary a uniform structure for food safety providers and other stakeholders across purpose is to ensure the safety of food standards. It did this by detailing the food industry. Covering all areas in reaching all consumers internationally, food safety criteria that should be terms of both products and international but it also aims to develop efficiencies, incorporated and by putting common locations the Forum is considered to be promote transparency, guide cost procedures in place for accreditation truly representative of the needs of the savings and become a platform for and certification bodies verifying the industry as a whole. continous improvement in the area implementation of standards. Under the guidance of the Forum, of food safety. It does this by leading It is important to note that GFSI is the GFSI is then governed by: a the global food industry towards a the standard for benchmarking not Board; Technical Working Groups harmonised approach to food safety the standard for auditing, There are and; a Stakeholder Group. While the management systems. a number of food standards have Board sets the strategic direction and Before the GFSI was established, been submitted for benchmarking oversees the GFSI on a daily basis retailers and major buyers across the and that ensure it meets a minimum the Technical Working Groups provide food industry demanded specific food requirements of GFSI guideline. technical expertise and advice. The safety requirements for particular Through this approach the GFSI aims Technical Groups combine to form a products. To prove that these to deliver on its mission to: “Provide Technical Committee composed of requirements were met, food suppliers continuous improvement in food retailers, manufacturers, food service often had to have a number of different safety management systems to ensure operators, standard owners, certification audits of their premises and systems, a confidence in the delivery of safe food bodies, accreditation bodies, industry process that cost them time and money. to consumers worldwide”. In order to associations and other technical experts. From audit to audit there was also do this effectively, it operates with four The GFSI Stakeholder Group brings considerable duplication. major objectives in mind. These are to: retailers, manufacturers, certification This issue was dealt with, to some bodies, accreditation bodies, standards 1. Reduce food safety risks by owners, food safety experts and extent, by the industry developed delivering equivalence and national and regional schemes, such consultants together in a forum to convergence between effective food discuss issues related to the GFSI. as the BRC or the IFS Food standards. safety management systems While these did aggregate the needs All these interested parties have worked and demands of some buyers, there 2. Manage cost in the global food together to develop the GFSI Guidance were many circumstances where system by eliminating Document. This multi-stakeholder suppliers continued to be audited redundancy and improving document sets out the requirements through numerous processes. operational efficiency for food safety management schemes 3. Develop competencies and and provides a framework against which capacity building in food safety to these schemes can be benchmarked. It create consistent and effective global brings together three key elements of food systems food production: 4. Provide a unique international • Food Safety Management Systems stakeholder platform for • Good Practices and HACCP collaboration, knowledge exchange Requirements (GAP, GMP, GDP) and networking • Requirements for the delivery of food The GFSI is run by the Consumer safety management systems Goods Forum, which brings together 3 ELEMENTS OF ALL GFSI RECOGNISED SCHEMES Best Practice GFSI Recognized Schemes ISO Standard: ISO22000 Legislation - Food Law Codex - HACCP Principles - GMP Source: GFSI: Enhancing Food Safety Through Third Party Certifcation In June 2007 the GFSI achieved Carrefour, Tesco, Metro, Migros, Ahold, manufacturers have agreed to recognise a major breakthrough, which has Wal-Mart and Delhaize pathed the way the GFSI benchmarked schemes. These since augmented its beneficial role in for the future growth in acceptance of include: Asda; ConAgra Foods, Coop; international food safety. At that time GFSI approved schemes and with that Campbells; Cargill; ICA, Kroger; seven major food retailers all agreed to started the GFSI off in the direction