Structure and Governance

The Global Food Safety Initiative works with three main groups that provide the future objectives of the programme and the know-how to carry them out: the GFSI Board, the GFSI Technical Working Groups and the GFSI Stakeholder Group.

The GFSI Foundation Board provides the strategic direction and oversees the daily management of GFSI.

The GFSI Technical Committee was formed in September 2006 and is composed of retailers, manufacturers, food service operators, standard owners, certification bodies, accreditation bodies, industry associations and other technical experts. In February 2009 the GFSI Board decided to restructure the Technical Committee into Technical Working Groups that work together independently throughout the year, feeding back to the entire group at the main committee meeting. Three new working groups have been created, some of which have organised themselves into sub-groups: Best Food Safety Practice, Global Markets and Communication/Stakeholder Engagement. These working groups provide technical expertise and advice for the GFSI Board.

GFSI Stakeholders are also invited to participate in the decision-making process of GFSI through annual meetings and regular exchanges of information. Stakeholders are any interested party that would like to have a voice within the GFSI structure.

Every year, global food safety stakeholders are consulted on their strategic priorities in the GFSI Stakeholder meeting held during the Global Food Safety Conference. Issues raised during this meeting form the basis of an annual work programme defined by the GFSI Board. The GFSI Board in turn provides the mandate of work items to the GFSI Technical Committee, charged with delivering the objectives set by the Board and providing recommendations on technical issues. Such a governance process facilitates the exchange of information and identification of best practice issues at an international and multi-stakeholder level thus ensuring the GFSI mission is achieved.

A new governance structure for the GFSI Board has recently been implemented whereby the GFSI Chairman, a representative from the retail industry, is supported by two vice-chairmen from the manufacturing and food service sectors. This ensures that the key partners in the supply chain are equally represented in the decision-making process of the Board.