About GLOBALG.A.P.
GLOBALG.A.P. Advisory Board
Based on sector-specific insights contributed by its members, the GLOBALG.A.P. Advisory Board provides strategic guidance to the GLOBALG.A.P. Secretariat. It is composed of an equal number of representatives from the producer/supplier and retail/food service categories, with GLOBALG.A.P. Community Members electing candidates for four-year terms.
Fair representation of global value chains
How is the GLOBALG.A.P. Advisory Board structured?
The GLOBALG.A.P. Advisory Board is made up of an equal number of elected representatives from the producer/supplier and retail/food service categories to reflect the supply chain partnership. To ensure the adequate inclusion of various farming sectors, the Advisory Board has a dedicated representative for aquaculture, fruit and vegetables, combinable crops, and flowers and ornamentals. In addition, there must be a representative for at least three of the four regions in which GLOBALG.A.P. standards and add-ons are implemented (Europe, Africa, Asia/Pacific, or the Americas). Headed by a chairperson and a vice-chairperson who are nominated at the first meeting after an election, the Advisory Board also appoints technical committee members, makes the final decision on adopting new versions of GLOBALG.A.P. standards and add-ons, and helps to promote the GLOBALG.A.P. certification system worldwide.
What are the responsibilities of the Advisory Board?
Providing input on key activities
of FoodPLUS GmbH executive management, such as operational strategy or proposed changes that may significantly affect the GLOBALG.A.P. brand
Making the final decision on adopting
new or revised GLOBALG.A.P. standards and add-ons based on recommendations from the technical committees and from the GLOBALG.A.P. Secretariat
Examining reports
from executive management and/or relevant GLOBALG.A.P. committees/focus groups on the integrity of the GLOBALG.A.P. certification system and drawing conclusions on its suitability
Appointing technical committee members
after the GLOBALG.A.P. Secretariat has reviewed the applications and provided recommendations
Carefully considering committee decisions
as well as consumer and scientific input as part of decision-making processes and consultations with interested parties
Acting as a consultative body
to other committees upon request by providing strategic input on specific matters and/or establishing necessary focus groups
Providing input on key activities
of FoodPLUS GmbH executive management, such as operational strategy or proposed changes that may significantly affect the GLOBALG.A.P. brand
Making the final decision on adopting
new or revised GLOBALG.A.P. standards and add-ons based on recommendations from the technical committees and from the GLOBALG.A.P. Secretariat
Examining reports
from executive management and/or relevant GLOBALG.A.P. committees/focus groups on the integrity of the GLOBALG.A.P. certification system and drawing conclusions on its suitability
Appointing technical committee members
after the GLOBALG.A.P. Secretariat has reviewed the applications and provided recommendations
Carefully considering committee decisions
as well as consumer and scientific input as part of decision-making processes and consultations with interested parties
Acting as a consultative body
to other committees upon request by providing strategic input on specific matters and/or establishing necessary focus groups
Providing input on key activities
of FoodPLUS GmbH executive management, such as operational strategy or proposed changes that may significantly affect the GLOBALG.A.P. brand
Making the final decision on adopting
new or revised GLOBALG.A.P. standards and add-ons based on recommendations from the technical committees and from the GLOBALG.A.P. Secretariat
Examining reports
from executive management and/or relevant GLOBALG.A.P. committees/focus groups on the integrity of the GLOBALG.A.P. certification system and drawing conclusions on its suitability
Appointing technical committee members
after the GLOBALG.A.P. Secretariat has reviewed the applications and provided recommendations
Carefully considering committee decisions
as well as consumer and scientific input as part of decision-making processes and consultations with interested parties
Acting as a consultative body
to other committees upon request by providing strategic input on specific matters and/or establishing necessary focus groups
Providing input on key activities
of FoodPLUS GmbH executive management, such as operational strategy or proposed changes that may significantly affect the GLOBALG.A.P. brand
Appointing technical committee members
after the GLOBALG.A.P. Secretariat has reviewed the applications and provided recommendations
Making the final decision on adopting
new or revised GLOBALG.A.P. standards and add-ons based on recommendations from the technical committees and from the GLOBALG.A.P. Secretariat
Carefully considering committee decisions
as well as consumer and scientific input as part of decision-making processes and consultations with interested parties
Examining reports
from executive management and/or relevant GLOBALG.A.P. committees/focus groups on the integrity of the GLOBALG.A.P. certification system and drawing conclusions on its suitability
Acting as a consultative body
to other committees upon request by providing strategic input on specific matters and/or establishing necessary focus groups
Why join the Advisory Board?
Unite with key stakeholders from both ends of the supply chain to help shape one of the world’s leading portfolios of smart farm assurance solutions
Assume a role which will have the most direct impact on GLOBALG.A.P. solutions and their future development
Foster long-term trust, innovation, and continuous improvement in the farm assurance sector
Help translate consumer demands into practical, cost-effective primary production standards
Interested in learning more about the Advisory Board or thinking about standing in the next election? Read our FAQ.
GLOBALG.A.P. community membership
Only representatives from producer/supplier and retail/food service organizations which are GLOBALG.A.P. Community Members may join and vote for the Advisory Board. Not a community member yet?
A transparent election process for each four-year term
How are GLOBALG.A.P. Advisory Board members elected?
There are usually 14 seats on the GLOBALG.A.P. Advisory Board, of which exactly half must be reserved for GLOBALG.A.P. Community Members from the producer/supplier category and half for GLOBALG.A.P. Community Members from the retail/food service category. Advisory Board members are elected for a four-year term, with elections held every two years for a portion of the seats. During the current terms (2021 to 2025 and 2023 to 2027), the Advisory Board appointed two further seats to ensure adequate sector representation. See below for details of the next elections.
The election process
A public call for candidate nominations is sent to all GLOBALG.A.P. Community Members and published on the Advisory Board page of the GLOBALG.A.P. website.
GLOBALG.A.P. Community Members are invited to nominate candidates from the producer/supplier and retail/food service categories. Alternatively, GLOBALG.A.P. Community Members from the producer/supplier and retail/food service categories may submit their own application with reference letters.
To qualify for a seat which is reserved for a specific geographical region, the candidate’s organization must own or represent operations in that region.
The nominations, references, and candidate statements are published on the GLOBALG.A.P. website for the duration of the voting period. GLOBALG.A.P. Community Members from the producer/supplier and retail/food service categories are invited via email to vote for the new Advisory Board members in their respective category.
Each community member organization has two votes, and the candidate with the highest number of votes wins. Voting is independently managed by the external financial auditors of FoodPLUS GmbH.
Following the election, the new Advisory Board members are named and displayed on the GLOBALG.A.P. website, and the four-year term begins immediately.
A chairperson and vice-chairperson are elected at the first meeting after each election period. The result of this process is then also published on the GLOBALG.A.P. website in the list of current Advisory Board members.
2025 changes to the GLOBALG.A.P. governance framework and FoodPLUS GmbH organizational structure
Some changes to our committees for technical content entered effect in 2024, and we would now like to inform you about further updates to the GLOBALG.A.P. governance framework and the FoodPLUS GmbH organizational structure In 2025.
Representation from across the global value chain
Who are the current GLOBALG.A.P. Advisory Board members?
GLOBALG.A.P. Advisory Board members are sorted according to their GLOBALG.A.P. Community Membership category (producer/supplier or retail/food service). All current Advisory Board members can be found below, listed in alphabetical order by first name.
Advisory Board members from the producer/supplier category
Alessandro Dalpiaz
General Director of Assomela
Assomela Società Coopertiva
Italy
Europe
Supplier/Crops (2021 - 2025)
Flavio Alzueta Bosarich
Advisor to the Board
FEPEX
Spain
Europe
Supplier/Crops (2021 - 2025)
Guy Callebaut
Advisory Board
VBT - Association of Belgian Horti. Coop.
Belgium
Europe
Supplier/Crops (2021 - 2025)
Hugo Hays
Global Director of Compliance, Food Safety and Health and Safety
Fyffes
Costa Rica
Latin America and the Caribbean
Supplier/Crops (2023 - 2027)
Karen Morrish
CEO
New Zealand Apples & Pears Inc
New Zealand
Oceania
Supplier/Crops (2023 - 2027)
Marcel Zandvliet
Chief Marketing Officer / Chief Sustainability Officer (CMO/CSO)
Dutch Flower Group
Netherlands
Europe
Supplier/Flowers and ornamentals (2023 - 2027)
Martin Hofstede
Managing Director
CLAMA GmbH & Co. KG
Germany
Europe
Supplier/Aquaculture (2021 - 2025)
Richard Schouten
Director
Fresh Produce Centre/Groentenfruit Huis
Netherlands
Europe
Supplier/Crops (2021 - 2025)
Advisory Board members from the retail/food service category
Chiara Faenza
Responsible for sustainability and values innovation
Coop Italia
Italy
Europe
Retailer (2023 - 2027)
Dr. Thorsten Maier
Head of Quality Assurance
Lidl Stiftung & Co. KG
Germany
Europe
Retailer (2021 - 2025)
Enrique Ameghino
Perishables Commercial Manager
Cencosud Retail Perú S.A.
Peru
Latin America and the Caribbean
Retailer (2023 - 2027)
Marc Rademacher
Member of the Executive Purchasing Board
REWE Group
Germany
Europe
Retailer (2023 - 2025)
Leon Mol
Director Product Safety & Social Compliance
Ahold Delhaize
Netherlands
Europe
Retailer (2021 - 2025)
Gerald Erbach
Director Quality Management Fruit & Vegetables
EDEKA Zentrale Stiftung
Germany
Europe
Retailer (2024 - 2025)
Malene Birck Lange
Responsible Sourcing Manager
Salling Group
Denmark
Europe
Retailer (2023 - 2027)
Karmela Plavsic
Head of QA Fresh and Ultra Fresh
METRO AG
Germany
Europe
Retailer (2024 - 2027)
Latest news
07 March 2025
Highlighting Global Fruit, a Canadian marketing and export company with GLOBALG.A.P. Chain of Custody certification
Explore how they use GLOBALG.A.P. CoC certification to create transparency and trust in their cherry and apple supply chain to global markets
06 March 2025
GLOBALG.A.P. solutions soon to cover all three FSI “Basket of Standards” pillars
The Floriculture Sustainability Initiative (FSI) aims to promote responsible sourcing in the floriculture sector through its Basket of Standards. This framework helps flower and ornamental plant producers to meet environmental, social, and GAP criteria.
FAQ
Only persons from producer/supplier and retail/food service organizations which are GLOBALG.A.P. Community Members may run as candidates in Advisory Board elections. Advisory Board members must have a good level of business English, as all meetings are conducted in English.
When an Advisory Board term is nearing its end, a public call for nominations is announced. To apply, you must provide a statement and a minimum of two references and disclose any potential conflicts of interest. After voting closes, the candidate with the highest number of votes wins.
GLOBALG.A.P. Community Members from the producer/supplier category can vote for candidates representing this category.
GLOBALG.A.P. Community Members from the retail/food service category can vote for candidates representing this category.
When voting opens, GLOBALG.A.P. Community Members who are eligible to vote will receive an email invitation to vote.
The Advisory Board provides strategic input to the GLOBALG.A.P. Secretariat, appoints technical committee members, makes the final decision on adopting new versions of GLOBALG.A.P. standards and add-ons, and helps to promote the GLOBALG.A.P. certification system worldwide.
There are three Advisory Board meetings per calendar year. Advisory Board members are required to attend at least two meetings per year (in person or virtually).
Advisory Board members are elected for four-year terms, with elections held every two years for half of the seats.
If an Advisory Board member leaves before half of their elected term (less than or equal to 24 months) has passed, their successor shall be from an election process, i.e., the candidate with the next highest number of votes (as tallied in the election results). If this candidate is no longer willing to take the seat, or there is no other candidate from the election list, a new election for the open seat shall be held.
If an Advisory Board member leaves after half of their elected term (more than 24 months) has passed, the remaining Advisory Board members may propose a successor to appoint in accordance with these terms of reference to the FoodPLUS GmbH shareholder.
If the affiliation of an Advisory Board member changes, the Advisory Board will decide on the continuation of the member’s position.
Please see the terms of reference for the GLOBALG.A.P. Advisory Board.
Upcoming events
19 Mar
2025
Flowers and Ornamentals Focus Group meeting
Location: Online
Event type: Meeting
Event format: Virtual
26 Mar
2025
What you need to know about ECIP benchmarked certifications – A free webinar hosted by ECIP
Location: Online, ZOOM
Event type: Webinar
Event format: Virtual
Contact us
For questions about the GLOBALG.A.P. Advisory Board, please contact us at customer_support@globalgap.org.