GFSI Background

The Global Food Safety Initiative was set up in 2000 to pursue continuous improvement in our food safety systems. Harmonising worldwide food safety standards would increase transparency and efficiency in the supply chain, cut costs and provide assurance of safe food for consumers worldwide. Retail quality managers could accept their supplier’s products without having to carry out numerous audits as long as these suppliers meet the requirements of a standard which has been recognized by GFSI. Suppliers would only need one audit a year, and not have several audits for different standards.

GFSI DOES:

• Benchmark existing food safety standards that are used from the farm and also at the food processing level.
• Compare exiting standards against the requirements that have been put together by all the actors in the food supply chain.

These criteria are outlined in the GFSI Guidance Document (Version 5). Any standards that are recognised against GFSI have to have as a minimum the same requirements that you can find in the Guidance Document.

GFSI DOES NOT:

• Make policy for retailers or manufacturers
• Make policy for standard owners
• Undertake any accreditation or certification activities