30 April 2025
Understanding certification integrity in the GLOBALG.A.P. system
What is the GLOBALG.A.P. Integrity Program and how does it contribute to the trustworthiness of GLOBALG.A.P. standards and their worldwide implementation?
Understanding certification integrity in the GLOBALG.A.P. system
What is the GLOBALG.A.P. Integrity Program and how does it contribute to the trustworthiness of GLOBALG.A.P. standards and their worldwide implementation?
GLOBALG.A.P. Integrity Program activities
What is the GLOBALG.A.P. Integrity Program?
The GLOBALG.A.P. Integrity Program was founded in 2008 as the first of its kind in food certification. Designed to ensure the consistent delivery and implementation of GLOBALG.A.P. standards and add-ons worldwide, the program monitors and assesses the key aspects of the third-party certification process.
It acts as a feedback mechanism that serves the continuous improvement of our operations and maintains stakeholder trust in the GLOBALG.A.P. certification system. With standards active in more than 135 countries on six continents, we consider it essential to safeguard the reliability and consistency of GLOBALG.A.P. certification.
What does the GLOBALG.A.P. Integrity Program cover?
The GLOBALG.A.P. Integrity Program spans four aspects of the certification process: certification body (CB) training and approval, certification integrity, complaint management, and customer support. These areas encompass a range of activities, including the technical implementation of GLOBALG.A.P. standards and add-ons, the monitoring of auditor competence and CB performance, and the investigation of issues such as certification fraud, maximum residue limit exceedances, and the misuse of GLOBALG.A.P. trademarks.
Why do we have an integrity program?
With almost 200,000 producers with certified production processes around the world, the GLOBALG.A.P. Secretariat is determined to uphold the levels of excellence and transparency that are at the heart of what we do. The oversight provided by the GLOBALG.A.P. Integrity Program highlights our ongoing commitment to continuous improvement and accountability.
For producers, the GLOBALG.A.P. Integrity Program contributes to a fair audit process by monitoring and evaluating CB competence in the field. It ensures that CBs conduct their audits in line with GLOBALG.A.P. normative documents and verifies that the same criteria and quality standards are used consistently and impartially.
For retailers, the GLOBALG.A.P. Integrity Program builds trust in the GLOBALG.A.P. certification system and mitigates reputational risk by providing transparency on certificate validity, investigating complaints, and monitoring certification claims. For quality assurance, both targeted and random CB office and producer assessments are conducted each year.
For CBs, the GLOBALG.A.P. Integrity Program monitors an entire range of processes, from auditor training requirements to the consistent implementation of GLOBALG.A.P. standards and add-ons at farm level. Comprehensive support also provides a straightforward point of contact for the clarification of questions on GLOBALG.A.P. solutions and the auditing process.
2024 Integrity Report out now!
In 2024, 479 days of integrity assessments were conducted in 43 countries, covering 122 different CBs. To find out where these assessments were conducted and many more insights, read our 2024 Integrity Report, out now!
Useful links:
To learn more about the GLOBALG.A.P. Integrity Program, please see our webpage.
To find GLOBALG.A.P. approved CBs, please see our certification bodies webpage.
For questions about the GLOBALG.A.P. Integrity Program, please contact us at customer_support@globalgap.org.
