What drives us?

Our vision – What do we want to achieve?

We envision a world in which farms are recognized for their efforts to continuously produce enough safe food while safeguarding our environment and the welfare of farming communities.

Our mission – How will we achieve our vision?

We collaborate with supply chain stakeholders to foster the global adoption of safer and more responsible farming practices by providing industry-leading, cost-effective, and value-adding assurance and benchmarking solutions.

Our purpose – What do we believe?

Every generation has a right to safe food. To protect this right now and for future generations, the world’s farms must produce safe food in ways that are socially and environmentally responsible and resilient.

What are GLOBALG.A.P. smart farm assurance solutions?

GLOBALG.A.P. standards and add-on are supported by a framework of interlinked systems in the GLOBALG.A.P. IT platform which connect audit data and validation services to deliver transparent, trustworthy, and real-time information on certification status.

As farm assurance evolves to more closely integrate farm-level data, the GLOBALG.A.P. system is evolving with it. The latest version of our Integrated Farm Assurance standard and our new IT platform mark the introduction of a smarter portfolio of streamlined, intuitive, and digitalized farm assurance solutions.

What is the “one auditor through the farm gate” principle?

We operate a range of harmonization activities that aim to cut duplication for producers and enable simpler sourcing processes for buyers. This is achieved through add-ons to core solutions that can widen the scope of a single audit, as well as a benchmarking program that recognizes other global certification schemes as equivalent to GLOBALG.A.P. smart farm assurance solutions.

What is the smart path to sustainability?

Sustainability is a journey, not a destination. We are committed to continuously improving our portfolio and supporting strategies that bring more responsible farming practices to the mainstream. The next step for GLOBALG.A.P. on this path is the development of a dedicated environmental sustainability solution that builds on the rigorous criteria already contained in our flagship Integrated Farm Assurance standard.

Who develops GLOBALG.A.P. smart farm assurance solutions?

A global network of industry experts and value chain stakeholders participate in the GLOBALG.A.P. stakeholder collaboration framework to ensure that our solutions are robust, realistic, and cost-effective. They are responsible for a wide range of activities, from developing the technical content of our standards and add-ons to facilitating their implementation at a local level.

• Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) 
  The TAC provides scientific, technical, and market related advice and recommendations for content development. It also oversees that the output of the technical working groups and focus groups is in line with the vision and mission. 

• Technical working groups (TWGs) 
  TWGs are designed to increase cross-sector participation and knowledge-sharing, and support the development of technical content in key areas. There are five TWGs covering plants, aquaculture, workers’ well-being, and the supply chain.  

• Focus groups 
  Focus groups are formed on an ad-hoc basis to provide topic-specific expertise and support the development of technical content. 

• National technical working groups (NTWGs) 
  NTWGs provide support in bridging the gap from global to local by identifying adaptation and application challenges of GLOBALG.A.P. solutions at a national level. 

GLOBALG.A.P. Community Members

The GLOBALG.A.P. certification system would not have achieved the widespread impact it has today without the support and contribution of value chain stakeholders.

GLOBALG.A.P. Community Member organizations are vital in helping us to continuously improve our standards and add-ons, promote safer and more responsible farming practices around the world, and collaborate on innovative solutions for the benefit of the entire supply chain.

Community members are organized into three categories: producer/supplier, retail/food service, and associate. Learn more about the benefits of becoming a GLOBALG.A.P. Community Member.

Supporting safer and more responsible farming worldwide

From the shrimp farms of Vietnam and the banana plantations of Ecuador to the tulip greenhouses of the Netherlands and the mango orchards of Mali, the world of farming is incredibly varied. Farm types and sizes are as diverse as the ecosystems and communities in which they operate. We believe that protecting these environments is vital – both now and for future generations.

Safer

According to the World Health Organization, 600 million people fall ill worldwide as a result of contaminated food each year. As global supply chains become increasingly complex and interconnected, safer farming means scaling up food safety and worker welfare practices. This helps to protect both the health and well-being of consumers as well as the producers who are engaged in production.

More responsible

More responsible means implementing practices that address the range of challenges that face the global farming industry and threaten its future viability, from water scarcity and deforestation to food waste and animal welfare. GLOBALG.A.P. smart farm assurance solutions offer a variety of ways to address the different aspects of responsible farming, and our science-based criteria provide practical steps to improve farm management.

Worldwide

We combine targeted, cost-efficient solutions with a capacity-building approach that provides a pathway to recognition for producers – regardless of size. Through our GLOBALG.A.P. Community Members, partner organizations, and national technical working groups, we aim to advance global sustainability action.