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The Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) convened the Government-to-Business (G2B) Forum on 3 April 2025 to reinvigorate the assembly as a platform for strengthening collaboration between the public and private sectors in food safety.
The Forum is intended to serve as an important venue for exchanging insights and experiences, contributing to regulatory innovation and aligning efforts to enhance food safety globally.
This meeting brought together national, regional, and intergovernmental food safety bodies and GFSI member organisations. The need to operate with clear focus, defined structure, and a drive towards concrete outcomes, moving beyond discussion to foster shared solutions, was a key theme of discussion.
Exploring Collaboration Areas
Participants explored the role that third-party food safety certification – also known as Voluntary Third-Party Assurance (vTPA) – might play in the regulatory landscape.
This included discussions on data sharing and on the alignment of vTPA and local regulations. GFSI-recognised certification programmes comply with global food safety standards, i.e. Codex and ISO. Local food safety regulations may differ marginally.
Digital transformation was also a central topic. GFSI provided updates on the online registry of certificates project, and discussions addressed the need for unique identifiers for Certification Programme Owners (CPOs), Certification Bodies (CBs), and certified sites within future authentication systems.
Agreeing on Actions for Impact
Structuring the G2B forum for impact was a primary objective, focusing on how it will operate effectively and drive real outcomes. Participants aimed to define priorities for the Forum’s work plan, governance structure, and meeting frequency. Key actions were agreed upon to move forward:
- GFSI will draft Terms of Reference for the Forum.
- Documentation will be provided to participants outlining the Benchmarking Requirements (BMRs) and their governance process, including procedures for suspended or revoked certification programmes.
- Regulatory bodies agreed to list key data elements needed for the future online registry, e.g. integrating the question of unique identifiers into its development.
The collective commitment displayed at the meeting demonstrated participant’s intention to drive forward initiatives that are crucial for enhancing global food safety systems.
