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The Equitable Food Initiative (EFI) has decided to withdraw from the GFSI Recognition process. This decision was made by the EFI Board after careful consideration.
Timeline
The GFSI Technical Subcommittee took the decision on 7 June 2024 to suspend GFSI recognition of EFI’s food safety programme for non-alignment with GFSI requirements. Following this suspension, the Board of EFI has recently notified GFSI of their intention to withdraw from the process of GFSI recognition.
EFI’s recognition by GFSI will therefore cease as of 23 May 2025.
Impact on Currently Certified Sites:
Any site holding a certificate issued following an audit undertaken against EFI Programmes – Food Safety Standards, Guidance, & Interpretations Version 2.0, 30th November 2018, specifically against GFSI scopes: BI Farming of Plants (other than cereals and pulses) and BIII Pre-process Handling of Plant Products recognised before the suspension on 7 June 2024 will continue to hold recognised certificates until their date of expiry.
Impact on Sites Seeking Future Certification:
A full list of GFSI recognised programmes can be found here.
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GFSI wishes to thank EFI for the cooperation and engagement in the recognition process. Further information is available below.
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Frequently Asked Questions: EFI Withdrawal from GFSI Recognition
The Equitable Food Initiative (EFI) has decided to withdraw from the GFSI Recognition process. Find out what this may mean for you.
General Information
What is happening?
The Equitable Food Initiative (EFI), a Certification Programme Owner, has decided to withdraw from the GFSI Recognition process. This decision was made by EFI’s board after careful consideration.
When is the withdrawal effective?
EFI’s formal withdrawal from GFSI Recognition and its contractual obligations is effective as of 23 May 2025.
Was EFI already suspended?
Yes, the GFSI Steering Committee had suspended recognition of Equitable Food Initiative’s certification programme — Food Safety Standards, Guidance, & Interpretations Version 2.0, 30th November 2018, specifically against GFSI scopes: BI Farming of Plants (other than cereals and pulses) and BIII Pre-process Handling of Plant Products — pending evidence of re-alignment with GFSI Benchmarking Requirements v2020. This suspension took effect on 7 June 2024.
Your Facility is Currently Certified by EFI
1 – I have an EFI certificate issued before EFI’s suspension (7 June 2024). Is it still GFSI-recognised?
Yes, sites certified against EFI Programmes recognised by GFSI before the suspension on 7 June 2024, will continue to hold recognised certificates until their date of expiry.
2 – My EFI certificate was issued on or after EFI’s suspension (7 June 2024). Is it GFSI-recognised?
No, certificates issued under the EFI certification programme and linked to an audit carried out during the suspension period (from 7 June 2024 – 23 May 2025) are not GFSI-recognised.
To determine what this means for you, review your supplier agreements and contact your customers to discuss their requirements for GFSI-recognised certification programmes to determine acceptable arrangements.
3 – What if I need new food safety certification or need to renew my current food safety certificate?
Sites seeking new GFSI-recognised food safety certification or recertification will need to obtain this through a different GFSI-recognised Certification Programme Owner.
Your Facility is Seeking New Technical Food Safety Certification under EFI’s Previous Model
I had planned to get certified under the EFI programme and required GFSI recognition but had not yet started the process. What should I do?
You should seek certification from a different GFSI-recognised Certification Programme Owner whose programme covers the relevant scope(s) of recognition.
Your Company (e.g., Retail, Food Service, Manufacturer) Requires GFSI-Recognised Certificates from Suppliers
1 – I am a business sourcing or purchasing and I require GFSI-recognised certification programmes from my suppliers. What does this mean for me?
If your supplier’s EFI certificate was issued before EFI’s suspension (7 June 2024), their certificate remains GFSI-recognised until its date of expiry.
If your supplier’s EFI certificate was issued on or after EFI’s suspension (7 June 2024), it is not GFSI-recognised.
For continued reliance on GFSI-recognised certification, your supplier(s) will need to obtain certification from a different GFSI-recognised Certification Programme Owner.
2 – How can I verify if a certificate from a supplier’s facility is GFSI-recognised? You should liaise with your Certification Body to check the status of your suppliers’ certificates to ensure they meet your purchasing requirements.
General GFSI Information
What is GFSI Recognition? GFSI Recognition is a process by which a food safety Certification Programme is compared to the GFSI Benchmarking Requirements to determine equivalence. GFSI’s objective is to improve food safety and business efficiency through benchmarking and harmonisation, fostering mutual acceptance of GFSI-recognised Certification Programmes across the industry, enabling a “once certified, recognised everywhere” approach.
What are the GFSI Scopes of Recognition? GFSI has defined various scopes of recognition related to products or services, listed in Table 1 of the Benchmarking Requirements. These include scopes for farming (AI, AII, BI, BII, BIII), processing (C0, CI, CII, CIII, CIV), feed production (D), catering (E), retail/wholesale (FI), food broker/agent (FII), storage and distribution (G), service provision (H), packaging production (I), pet food production (JI, JII), and production of chemicals/bio-cultures (K). EFI’s GFSI recognition was for scopes BI (Farming of Plants other than cereals and pulses) and BIII (Pre-process Handling of Plant Products).
Where can I find other GFSI-recognised Certification Programmes? A complete list of other GFSI-recognised Certification Programme Owners and the scopes for which they are recognised is available on the GFSI website.
Who can I ask for more information? For questions about GFSI recognition, the benchmarking process, or the implications of this withdrawal, you can contact the GFSI Benchmarking Team at [email protected].
For questions specific to EFI’s ongoing activities, please contact EFI directly.
