GFSI works closely with international and regional partners who share the same aim for safer food and harmonisation. These alliances are key to helping us advance food safety globally. We will continue to build a lean and efficient organisation that minimises duplication with regional bodies while strengthening relationships critical to reaching our goals at a local and global level.
The Codex Alimentarius, or “Food Code” is a collection of standards, guidelines and codes of practice adopted by the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC). The Commission is the central part of the Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme and was established by FAO and WHO to protect consumer health and promote fair practices in food trade. CODEX members are the members states of FAO and WHO and IGOs and other international standard-setting bodies.
We collaborate with Codex through our dedicated GFSI Codex Committee, created to contribute to all relevant Codex matters, bringing industry expertise in food safety management systems and regulatory science, advocating a science-based approach and collaborating with the Codex community to drive GFSI’s strategic objectives around harmonisation, capacity building and public-private partnerships. The GFSI Benchmarking Requirements refer to and are based on relevant Codex Alimentarius guidelines, which are internationally recognised references in food safety.
GFSI and Codex also collaborate on the organisation of the annual World Food Safety Day and the organisation of the annual G2B (Government-to-Business) Meetings. Learn more.
The IAF is the world association of Conformity Assessment Accreditation Bodies and other bodies interested in conformity assessment. Its primary function is to develop a single worldwide program of conformity assessment which reduces risk for business and its customers by assuring them that accredited certificates may be relied upon.
GFSI through the CGF has been a member of the IAF since 2010 and actively participate in the IAF Working Groups impacting the harmonisation of accredited food safety certification; in 2018, an MoU was signed between the 2 organisations recognising the alignment of each other criterion for certification programmes’ assessments.
IAFP is a member-based association of more than 4,400 food safety professionals committed to Advancing Food Safety Worldwide® by providing food safety professionals worldwide with a forum to exchange information on protecting the food supply. Each year, the IAFP takes part in the GFSI Conference and GFSI takes part in the IAFP Annual Meeting.
Incentivising food safety investment by including the GFSI Benchmarking Requirements within those of IFC. Offering benefits to suppliers using GFSI-recognised certification and the Global Markets Programme.
ISO is the International Organization for Standardization. They develop and publish International Standards. GFSI is an A liaison with ISO and actively collaborate with ISO on the development and promotion of conformity assessment and food safety management system standards. The GFSI Benchmarking Requirements refer to and are based on relevant ISO international standards.
World Organization for Animal Health
The OIE is the intergovernmental organisation responsible for improving animal health worldwide. It is recognised as a reference organisation by the World Trade Organization (WTO). GFSI signed an MoU with the OiE in 2011 to collaborate on animal health when it has an impact on food safety. Since then, GFSI acts as an observer for the OIE.