20 February 2025
Updates to the GLOBALG.A.P. governance framework and FoodPLUS GmbH organizational structure
A global network of industry experts and value chain stakeholders collaborate to ensure our solutions are robust, realistic, and cost-effective. 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.
2024 and 2025 developments
In March 2024, we announced the formation of a new Technical Advisory Committee and a restructuring of existing technical committees (TCs) into technical working groups (TWGs). These groups contribute to the technical development of our standards and add-ons, as well as our focus groups and national technical working groups (NTWGs). Now, in 2025, we can announce further changes, designed to embrace more effective teamwork and collaboration. The coming changes to both internal team structures as well as external collaboration channels will streamline processes in creating future-oriented solutions for global markets from GLOBALG.A.P., the GGN label, and beyond.
The GLOBALG.A.P. Advisory Board
Dating back to the establishment of the very first working group (EurepGAP) in 1997, GLOBALG.A.P. standards are built on a long history of collaboration with experts in the sector. Over the years, the GLOBALG.A.P. Advisory Board has played a key role in providing strategic guidance from both the retail and producer sectors to shape GLOBALG.A.P. solutions. However, as the sectors continue to evolve and participation in the Advisory Board has diminished, it became evident that the current structure needed to be reevaluated to maximize potential stakeholder participation. To address these challenges, the shareholder of FoodPLUS GmbH (the EHI Retail Institute) commissioned an analysis with KPMG which identified opportunities in key areas including:
Speed and efficiency (in decision-making related to product development)
Clarity of roles and responsibilities (resolving complicated terms and conditions)
Flexibility in consulting relevant stakeholders for future brands/products
Introducing the new stakeholder collaboration framework
Based on KPMG’s findings and after consultation with the Finance and Governance Committee, EHI announced a change effective from May 2025; the existing GLOBALG.A.P. Advisory Board will be replaced, in favor of a new, more dynamic stakeholder collaboration framework.
The Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), established in September 2024, provides scientific, technical, and market related advice and recommendations for content development. Composed of five representatives from the retail sector, five from the producer sector, and two from certification bodies, the TAC consults the Research and Development Team and oversees that the output by technical and focus groups is in line with the vision and mission.
A new informal advisory council, Shareholder (EHI) Advisory Council, made up of industry experts (retailers, producers, and other stakeholders), focusing on FoodPLUS GmbH/GLOBALG.A.P. topics, will be invited to exchange with the shareholder on a strategic level. The frequency of meetings and goals of this advisory council will be developed by EHI together with the current Finance and Governance committee members.
User group meetings will focus on specific topics with specific users of the system. The Certification Body Committee will become a specific user group.
Technical working groups and focus groups will remain in place as established in 2024, with regular meetings scheduled. These groups will continue to support the development of technical content.
National technical working groups will continue to provide support and ensure that the GLOBALG.A.P. solutions are fit for purpose in differing global conditions
The Integrity Surveillance Committee, which makes decisions on performance-related certification body sanctions and corrective measures following integrity assessments, will remain in place.
Benchmarking Committees will continue to form for each individual benchmarking application process.
Complementary changes to internal framework
FoodPLUS GmbH has also undergone internal restructuring to modernize and empower each department to fulfil their mandate. The Managing Directors, Dr. Elmé Coetzer-Boersma and Markus Philipp, are delighted to introduce the following senior leadership team:
Angelo Lazo, Lead Business Development
Ignacio Antequera, Lead Relations Development
Johan Cronje, Lead Research and Development
Kendall Griffin, Lead Marketing Communications
Marvin Dillenburg, Lead Marketing Operations
Rawad Akkad, Lead Technology
Selcuk Göycali, Lead Operational Services
As announced in June 2023, Roberta Anderson remains President of GLOBALG.A.P. North America, a daughter company of FoodPLUS GmbH.
Useful links
About FoodPLUS GmbH
FoodPLUS GmbH is a German limited liability company operating in the farming and supply chain sectors. Established in 2001, it is the legal entity behind the GLOBALG.A.P. and GGN label brands. Operating on-farm related activities and data solutions for stakeholders throughout the supply chain, FoodPLUS GmbH also offers other services such as Farm Assurance as a Service. The company is headquartered in Cologne, Germany, and employs more than 150 people around the world.
About EHI
EHI is a research, training and consultancy institute for the retail industry and its partners. It has some 80 employees. The international EHI network comprises some 850 member companies from the retail, consumer goods and capital goods industries, along with service providers. EHI is also a shareholder of GS1 Germany and FoodPlus. It is a partner of Messe Düsseldorf and important trade shows like EuroShop. The President of EHI is Markus Tkotz, Managing Director of Markant. The Managing Director of EHI is Michael Gerling.
