About GLOBALG.A.P.
Focus groups and working groups
Focus groups and working groups support the innovation of GLOBALG.A.P. smart farm assurance solutions by providing sector-specific insights and problem-solving expertise on concentrated topics. Assembled by the GLOBALG.A.P. Advisory Board as required, these groups are composed of both GLOBALG.A.P. Community Members and unaffiliated industry experts.
Expertise driving innovation
What are focus groups and working groups?
Focus groups and working groups are assembled on an ad-hoc basis to provide targeted input on areas of interest to the GLOBALG.A.P. Secretariat. This usually consists of feedback on the development or revision of GLOBALG.A.P. standards and add-ons, as seen through the lens of the specific focus group topic. Made up of experts from a variety of backgrounds, focus group members are passionate about representing their sector and supporting positive change with their industry-specific insights.
How are focus groups and working groups structured?
Participation is open to anyone with industry expertise in the focus group’s relevant field. While it is not restricted to GLOBALG.A.P. Community Members, at least one member from the producer/supplier and one member from retail/food service categories are always included. A representative from the GLOBALG.A.P. Secretariat is also assigned to each group.
Each group works without a fixed term, as the duration is determined by the nature of the topic. It is up to each group to determine how many meetings are necessary. They are always open to new members, and participation is voluntary/free of charge. Group members are required to disclose any potential or current conflicts of interest to the GLOBALG.A.P. Advisory Board for consideration, which will agree upon a resolution if required.
What are the responsibilities of focus groups?
Reviewing drafts
of new or revised standards and add-ons and providing feedback in their area of expertise
Providing topic- and/or sector-specific input
to the GLOBALG.A.P. Advisory Board and/or technical committees
Meeting at regular intervals
to discuss urgent issues, trends, or challenges affecting the industry as a whole
Reviewing drafts
of new or revised standards and add-ons and providing feedback in their area of expertise
Providing topic- and/or sector-specific input
to the GLOBALG.A.P. Advisory Board and/or technical committees
Meeting at regular intervals
to discuss urgent issues, trends, or challenges affecting the industry as a whole
Reviewing drafts
of new or revised standards and add-ons and providing feedback in their area of expertise
Providing topic- and/or sector-specific input
to the GLOBALG.A.P. Advisory Board and/or technical committees
Meeting at regular intervals
to discuss urgent issues, trends, or challenges affecting the industry as a whole
Reviewing drafts
of new or revised standards and add-ons and providing feedback in their area of expertise
Providing topic- and/or sector-specific input
to the GLOBALG.A.P. Advisory Board and/or technical committees
Meeting at regular intervals
to discuss urgent issues, trends, or challenges affecting the industry as a whole
Contribute your know-how today
Why join a focus group?
Designed by the industry, for the industry, GLOBALG.A.P. certification is the farm assurance of choice for almost 200,000 producers around the world. Without the vital input of technical experts and our stakeholders, GLOBALG.A.P. smart farm assurance solutions could never be as practical and far-reaching as they are today.
What are the benefits?
Have a direct impact on GLOBALG.A.P. smart farm assurance solutions
Contribute to smart, flexible, fit-for-purpose solutions
Offer insight and expertise to ensure your sector is adequately represented
Collaborate with leading decision-makers to build synergies
Be at the forefront of change and innovation within the sector
Contact us to join the conversation today and help shape the future of our industry!
The GLOBALG.A.P. Secretariat is developing a new environmental sustainability solution
Join our Environmental Sustainability Working Group to help make the solution robust, practical, and fit for the future!
Five steps to joining a focus group
Check the list of active focus groups to see how you can get involved. Announcements of new focus group topics will be published on the GLOBALG.A.P. website and communicated to relevant stakeholder groups.
Individuals may contact the GLOBALG.A.P. Secretariat at committees@globalgap.org to register their interest in participating in a focus group. The GLOBALG.A.P. Secretariat may also extend invitations for applications to relevant known stakeholders.
The size of the focus group may be limited. If so, the GLOBALG.A.P. Secretariat will select the most suitable group members according to the criteria presented in the announcement and in alignment with the terms of reference. Applicants who are not able to attend all meetings may be invited to join as “observers”. Observers receive all information and minutes of the focus group’s meetings.
The selected applicants are required to sign a confidentiality agreement as part of the terms of reference. Following this, the final list of participants is published on this page.
At the first meeting, the focus group will elect a chairperson and a vice-chairperson who are responsible for moderating and conducting the meetings. Any member of the focus group may nominate themselves for chair or vice-chair.
GLOBALG.A.P. Community Membership
Looking for other ways to support and shape the GLOBALG.A.P. portfolio of smart farm assurance solutions?
Meet the focus group members
Active focus groups
There are currently two active focus groups covering the topics of flowers and ornamentals and compound feed manufacturing. Click on the corresponding accordion to learn more.
In late 2019, the GLOBALG.A.P. Secretariat began the process of updating the Integrated Farm Assurance (IFA) standard. The Flowers and Ornamentals Focus Group was established to support this process.
Focus group members are industry experts who can offer insights and guidance for the floriculture sector.
In 2020, the GLOBALG.A.P. Secretariat began the process of updating the Compound Feed Manufacturing (CFM) standard to include more sustainability criteria. The Compound Feed Manufacturing Focus Group was established to support this process. The focus group consists of stakeholders who are experts in the field of compound feed manufacturing, the management of feed ingredients, aquaculture and/or livestock production, and related aspects of ecological sustainability.
Environmental sustainability is becoming increasingly important in the farming industry.
GLOBALG.A.P.’s holistic flagship standard, Integrated Farm Assurance (IFA), already includes core requirements for various topics relating to environmental sustainability. However, some stakeholders want to go the extra mile to demonstrate their commitment to this crucial topic. The GLOBALG.A.P. Secretariat will therefore offer a farm assurance solution to meet this need.
Share your experience!
Are you already part of our mission to foster the global adoption of safer and more sustainable farming practices? We would love to hear from you!
Submit a testimonial about working with GLOBALG.A.P. for a chance to be featured on our website and social media channels – with more than 80,000 followers across five platforms.
Latest news
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.
27 February 2025
Provision Analytics joins GLOBALG.A.P. Community Membership
Provision’s software supports the preparation for and audit process of GLOBALG.A.P. smart farm assurance standards.
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
FAQ
Technical committees are a permanent fixture of the GLOBALG.A.P. governance structure and have long-term objectives and responsibilities. While focus groups also support the review and innovation of GLOBALG.A.P. solutions through sector-specific insight, they are assembled on an ad-hoc basis to provide highly targeted input on topics of interest.
Technical committees are comprised exclusively of GLOBALG.A.P. Community Members, whereas participation in focus groups is open to anyone with industry experience in the relevant field. Find out more about the role of technical committees.
Interested parties should first check the list of active focus groups to find out how best to contribute their sector- or topic-specific expertise. Applications to join a group can be submitted at any time to committees@globalgap.org.
Please note that the size of the focus group may be limited, and the GLOBALG.A.P. Secretariat will select participants based on suitability. Successful applicants must sign the terms of reference and a confidentiality agreement before attending meetings.
Have a direct impact on GLOBALG.A.P. smart farm assurance solutions
Contribute to flexible, fit-for-purpose solutions that are future proof
Ensure your needs are represented
Collaborate with the industry’s leading decision-makers to build synergies
Be at the forefront of change and innovation within the industry
This depends on the topic, but many focus groups are set up to work on the revision of existing GLOBALG.A.P. standards and add-ons and are therefore involved in the whole process. Focus group terms can range from a very short time span to several years.
It depends on the topic, but there are typically around 10–40 members. Member can be anyone with industry insight or specific expertise on the topic of the focus group. They may be technical experts, trade and retail representatives, producers, certification bodies, manufacturers, and more.
There is no defined rule for how often focus groups meet. It depends on the needs of the sector or topic at hand.
Focus group applicants who are not able to attend all meetings can be accepted as “observers”. Observers receive all information and minutes of the focus group’s meetings.
We welcome stakeholder collaboration in a variety of ways – you can become a GLOBALG.A.P. Community Member, join a technical committee, or participate in a public consultation.
Contact us
For questions about the focus groups, please contact us at committees@globalgap.org.