30 October 2024
Understanding accreditation in the GLOBALG.A.P. system
Discover the essential role of accreditation in the GLOBALG.A.P. system and get an inside look at the 2024 technical meeting in Berlin, where industry leaders gathered to reinforce quality and trust across the certification process.
Understanding accreditation in the GLOBALG.A.P. system
For certification bodies (CBs) to gain approval in the GLOBALG.A.P. system, they must meet international standards through formal accreditation. This requirement is the ISO/IEC 17065 accreditation—a crucial standard that helps to establish the competence, impartiality, and operational consistency of CBs worldwide.
What is ISO/IEC 17065?
ISO/IEC 17065 is an internationally recognized standard defining requirements for organizations certifying products, processes, or services. In the GLOBALG.A.P. system, adherence to ISO/IEC 17065 assures high standards of quality and transparency in certifications. Key elements of the standard include:
Impartiality and integrity: CBs must operate without bias or external influences that could compromise objectivity, ensuring certification decisions are fair and trustworthy.
Competence requirements: CBs are required to employ personnel with specialized skills and knowledge to conduct the certification process effectively.
Operational consistency: The standard requires CBs to establish and document procedures, allowing them to produce reliable and repeatable certification results.
Transparency and confidentiality: ISO/IEC 17065 demands a transparent certification process and protects clients' proprietary information.
Complaint and appeal mechanisms: The standard mandates systems for managing complaints and appeals to uphold accountability and stakeholder trust.
These requirements ensure that CBs maintain high levels of professionalism, reliability, and trust, helping to reinforce the quality of the GLOBALG.A.P. certification system.
How CBs achieve accreditation
To become accredited, CBs apply to an accreditation body (ABs). An AB’s role is to evaluate and formally recognize that the CB is following the ISO/IEC 17065 requirements. When choosing an AB, certification bodies need to confirm that:
The AB has signed a memorandum of understanding with FoodPLUS GmbH (the legal entity and owner of the GLOBALG.A.P. brand).
The AB is a member of the International Accreditation Forum (IAF).
The AB is a signatory to the Multilateral Recognition Arrangement (MLA) for product certification. This MLA status, which can be verified on the IAF website, signifies that the AB has undergone a successful peer evaluation, confirming adherence to international standards.
The importance of accreditation
GLOBALG.A.P.’s requirements on accreditation add a layer of quality assurance; ensuring a standardized level of quality across the CBs contributes to a strong and reliable certification system. By working exclusively with accredited CBs, GLOBALG.A.P. offers a system that upholds transparency, consistency, and impartiality.
Additionally, the GLOBALG.A.P. Integrity Program serves as an extra measure to safeguard the quality and trustworthiness of certifications within the system.
GLOBALG.A.P. standards that require CB accreditation:
Integrated Farm Assurance (IFA) for aquaculture and for plants (including product categories fruit and vegetables, flowers and ornamentals, hops, plant propagation material, combinable crops, and tea).
2024 annual technical meeting in Berlin
In a continued effort to strengthen the accreditation system, GLOBALG.A.P. hosted its annual technical meeting for ABs on 2 October 2024, in Berlin. This one-day event offered AB representatives a comprehensive update on technical requirements and served as a collaborative calibration session to align practices. This year, GLOBALG.A.P. co-hosted the meeting with IFS (International Featured Standards) and BRCGS, welcoming 31 participants representing 45 accreditation bodies. Accreditation remains central to GLOBALG.A.P.'s role of providing credible and trustworthy certification for agricultural production processes worldwide. By maintaining rigorous accreditation standards and fostering international collaboration, we ensure the GLOBALG.A.P. certification system remains both reliable and respected across industries and borders. The annual technical meeting exemplifies GLOBALG.A.P.’s commitment to strengthening these standards, promoting a shared dedication to quality and accountability in farm certification.
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