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Strategic Efforts and Objectives
GFSI’s Benchmarking and Harmonisation Working Group (BHWG) is working to develop new benchmarking requirements (BMRs) that align with the latest industry standards and insights. This follows the GFSI Technical Subcommittee’s identification of key areas needing revision, including incorporating CODEX Codes of Hygiene, relevant updates to ISO 22003, and feedback from recent GFSI assessments. The primary aim is to clarify the intent of the impacted BMRs, ensuring they remain robust and relevant.
Insights from Paul Kelly and Lisa Moody
This week, we are excited to introduce Paul Kelly, Head of Regulatory & Compliance at Woolworths and Lisa Moody, Senior QA Manager, Audit Programs at Maple Lodge Farms. Their insights and experiences add valuable perspectives to our mission of enhancing food safety standards globally.
Reflecting on his experience, Paul Kelly says:
“I enjoy being part of the group and having the opportunity to shape the future of GFSI and their requirements. As a business, we are fully committed to GFSI-recognised schemes, and see GFSI-recognised schemes as a fundamental part of the future of safe food for everyone.”
Paul’s commitment to integrating GFSI schemes into his business underscores the significance of these collaborative efforts.
“From a working group perspective, the communication has been good, the commitment manageable, and there was consideration for my time zone. I am keen to see how all the feedback comes together and how the final decisions are made from all the subgroups. It was also interesting to see the different views from various countries and organizations.”
His enthusiasm and positive experience highlight the importance of global perspectives in shaping effective food safety standards.
Enriching the conversation, Lisa Moody shares her experience:
“I am excited to be a part of the GFSI Benchmarking Harmonization Working Group with so many food safety professionals. Being in sub-groups has certainly helped to lighten the workload, but as far as challenges go, I think that is the biggest: working under tight timelines to get the work done, and agree within the subgroup on proposed changes. This also has proven to be the most rewarding: discussions with different stakeholders – both from different industries as well as different countries – has allowed me to look at the requirements from outside my own experiences. These discussions have really reinforced the importance of the Requirements, since they are a global resource across so many food industry sectors. I continue to learn from both my sub group and the larger working group, and am excited to continue the journey.”
Lisa’s dedication and insights exemplify the collaborative spirit and commitment to achieve meaningful progress that drive our mission forward.
Engaging Stakeholders: The Path Forward
As the BHWG continues to refine and enhance the BMRs, collective expertise and collaborative efforts are essential. The dedication of Paul, Lisa, and the rest of the BHWG is driving the development of the new GFSI BMRs version 2024.
We invite the GFSI Community to provide feedback on proposed changes to the GFSI Benchmarking requirements during the upcoming stakeholder consultation phase.
Stay tuned for more details on how you can participate and contribute to this critical process.
For more information, please contact gfsibm@theconsumergoodsforum.com.
