GFSI Guidance Document

The 5th Version of the GFSI Guidance Document, issued in September 2007 (a revised document is due in 2010), sets out the requirements for food safety management schemes and provides a framework in which food safety management schemes can be benchmarked as well as guidance on how to seek alignment for standard owners and on the operation of the certification process. It represents a multi-stakeholder approach for food safety best practice in the form of key elements for food production:

The Guidance Document version 5 is currently available in 5 languages, click on your language of choice below.

GFSI Recognised Schemes, the GFSI Guidance Document and Codex

In order to provide transparency to the GFSI benchmarking process, GFSI has prepared a comparison document detailing how each GFSI benchmarked scheme meets the requirements set out in the GFSI Guidance Document ‘Version 5’ as well as the requirements set out in the Recommended International Code of Practice - General Principles of Food Hygiene established by Codex.

Guidance Document: Comparison Version 4 and 5

A document comparing versions 4 and 5 of the Guidance Document can be downloaded here.

Are you looking for your scheme to be benchmarked against the GFSI Guidance Document?

For any scheme owners wishing to be benchmarked against the GFSI Guidance Document, please click here to download the Guidance Document version 5 in a table format or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for a copy in Word and more information.