Stricter social criteria: the GLOBALG.A.P. Risk Assessment on Social Practice v2

As we are constantly adapting our work and our standards to current developments and the needs of the markets, we have also developed the GLOBALG.A.P. Risk Assessment on Social Practice (GRASP) further. GRASP has been significantly revised and has been made stricter, also with regard to several criteria already covered by the Integrated Farm Assurance (IFA) standard.

The improved version (GRASP v2) introduces new mechanisms that strengthen compliance with workers’ human rights and workers’ well-being, while maintaining the efficiency and cost reductions that have always been associated with GRASP. In GRASP v2, workers’ core human rights have been defined as Major Must principles and criteria (P&Cs), signaling zero tolerance for non-compliance.

The definition of workers used in GRASP v2 is one of the broadest and most comprehensive definitions in the standards industry, with a special focus on migrant workers. All GRASP v2 P&Cs apply and are assessed in all circumstances – whether labor is permanent, temporary, seasonal, or mostly subcontracted (a major factor in the vulnerability of migrant workers). GRASP v2 requires that the rights of all these workers be respected and provides opportunity for their voices to be heard. 

Handling of complaints

Complaints are a valuable source of feedback for the GLOBALG.A.P. Secretariat and an important tool for verifying continued compliance to the P&Cs by IFA certified and/or GRASP assessed producers during the validity period of their IFA certificate and/or GRASP proof of assessment/letter of conformance. The team behind the GLOBALG.A.P. Integrity Program investigates every complaint, whether it comes to us from an external or internal source, or via our media monitoring tools.

If a producer becomes the subject of a complaint, the case is investigated. Depending on the nature and extent of the violations, the producer  either is given time to take corrective action, or their certificate/proof of assessment/letter of conformance is suspended or canceled.

In serious cases, a temporary suspension of the producer’s certificate/proof of assessment/letter of conformance may be imposed. In cases where fraud and/or lack of confidence in the producer’s compliance with IFA/GRASP requirements is demonstrated, the certificate/proof of assessment/letter of conformance is withdrawn, and a cancellation is imposed for 12 months, disqualifying the producer from any form of GLOBALG.A.P. certification for that period. 

Limitations of voluntary certification schemes

Neither the participation in a voluntary certification scheme nor the investigation of complaints are intended to determine whether a producer is running an illegal operation or has committed a crime. As matters of law, such situations are outside the scope of all voluntary certification schemes. Criminal matters are reserved for the police and the courts. Nevertheless, the GLOBALG.A.P. Secretariat strongly condemns any violation of workers’ rights and any social abuse, especially in connection with criminal acts of any
kind.