PARIS, 5 October 2023
The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated new methods and tools to conduct remote assessments such as audits in agricultural and food supply chains using Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). GFSI wishes to explore the benefits and implications associated with the use of ICT tools and methods in audit activities and assessments, pursuing evidence and track record information to better understand the food safety outcomes of such approaches.
GFSI is seeking data and quality-driven evidence from its worldwide community to demonstrate the effectiveness, reliability, and accessibility of ICT approaches to food safety. GFSI has developed two surveys targeted at Food Business Operators as well as the certification community made up of Certification Programme Owners (CPOs), Certification Bodies (CBs) and Accreditation Bodies (ABs).
Why a new survey on ICT
The GFSI Steering Committee seeks to gain greater understanding of the industry’s development of ICT and the evidence for the benefits on food safety outcomes. GFSI is determined to continue monitoring the progress, use, and understanding of ICT tools and methods to remain at the forefront of trends and reflect those new approaches in its tools when relevant.
With international guidance emerging in this area, GFSI hopes the outcomes of the survey can provide insights to the food safety and trade regulatory communities on the use of ICT from the food industry. This will bring a private sector perspective to the work of international organisations and standard-setting bodies such as the Codex Committee on Food Import and Export Inspection and Certification Systems (CCFICS).
The survey has been designed jointly by the GFSI Steering Committee, the Science and Technology Advisory Group (STAG) and the China Local Group.
Take the survey
FBO survey: For those who have had a remote or hybrid audit (partial remote/partially in-person audit) and are a Food Business Operator having an audited site against one of the GFSI-recognised CPOs or using GFSI-recognised CPOs in their supply chain assurance as a buyer, take this survey.
Certification Community survey: For Certification Programme Owners or Certification Bodies which are developing the use of ICT in their business, take this survey.
The survey response deadline is 9 November 2023.
For more information, please contact [email protected]