Call for Participation in the GFSI US/Canada Local Group

PARIS, 27th May 2021 —The Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI, the Coalition) is the landmark Coalition of Action of food safety from The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF), a global industry network working to support Better Lives Through Better Business. The Coalition  aims to build consumers’ trust in the food they buy – no matter where their food has come from, nor where in the world they live – by improving food safety management practices.

To fully implement GFSI’s vision of safe food for people everywhere, GFSI works with its regional networks through the GFSI Local Groups to implement its global strategy at the regional and local level.

Currently, GFSI has Local Groups leading its regional work in regions such as Latin America, Asia-Pacific and Europe. These Local Groups bring together regional food safety experts from a range of sectors within the food industry to work collaboratively on regional and local food safety issues as well as to share knowledge and promote a harmonised approach to managing and improving food safety management systems around the world.

In the US and Canada, this Local Group has been at the forefront of GFSI’s efforts to build awareness about food safety issues and GFSI across the region as well as to strengthen GFSI’s engagement with  government bodies such as the United States Food and Drug Administration.

In light of the CGF’s organisational changes and GFSI’s transition to a Coalition of Action, GFSI is now actively seeking to expand the membership of its US-Canada Local Group in order to help further advance its work in this region.  

The US-Canada Local Group’s Mandate

The objectives of this group will be to:

1. Implement GFSI’s global priorities in North America.
2. Build engagement and awareness of GFSI and its work amongst regional companies and relevant stakeholders.
3. Build relationships with national government bodies.

How to Apply

There is no limit to the number of members within the US-Canada Local Group. However, this group should not be comprised of more than 25% non-CGF retail and manufacturer member companies.

NB: The Co-Chairs of the US-Canada Local Group must be CGF members and their companies must be signatories to the GFSI Coalition.

Selection Criteria

All applicants are welcome and will be classified using the following criteria:

 

Retail/Wholesale/Manufacturing/ Food Service/ Primary Production

• Have a food safety leadership role within a North American retail, manufacturing, wholesale or food service business.

• Have experience in the field of food safety management systems, regulatory affairs and/food safety capability-building.

• Have relevant North American regulatory and business contacts and networks within the field of food safety.

• Commitment to GFSI aims and objectives.

 Interest in CGF Membership (If your company is not a CGF member, the desire to engage with CGF to explore member opportunities, including non-food topics, is highly valued)

 

Non-Food Business Applicants

• Have a food safety related role within an industry or sector which delivers services to the food industry.

• Have experience as a food safety auditor.

• Have a role within a North American Certification Body based or operating in North America.

• Have a role within a North American Certification Programme Owner based or operating in North America.

• Those teaching or researching in the area of food safety from a North American based academic institution.

If you are interested in joining this Local Group, and believe you satisfy the selection criteria, please fill in this online application before 17^th June 2021 at 11.45pm CET.

Candidates will be selected to ensure a balanced regional representation from the following stakeholder groups:

• Retail/Wholesale.
• Food service/Catering.
• Primary Production.
• Certification Programme Owners.
• Certification bodies.
• Service providers to the food industry.
• Other relevant supply chain participants.

Depending on the strategic regional priorities of the Local Groups, other partners such as the following stakeholders can have an observer status at the Local Group:

• Government
• Other food related trade associations

Local Groups are required to meet (in person, post Covid situation) a minimum of two occasions annually. Regular videoconference calls may be organised depending on the needs of the Local Group. Active participation at the Local Group meetings and calls is required. All meetings and communication for this Group will be held in English.

All costs and expenses for participants’ participation in any or all activities of the GFSI Local Group must be covered by the organisations that they represent.

Appointed Local Group Members must commit to adhering to the GFSI Governance Model and Rules of Procedure in particular, Article VIII: GFSI Local Groups (LG) together with the GFSI Code of Ethical Conduct as defined in Article XI.  They will also be required to sign, endorse and abide by the GFSI Local Group Members Statement of Commitment.

There is no maximum duration for membership to a GFSI Local Group.

Timeline

This Call for Participation will be open from 25^th May until 17^th June.

Only selected candidates will be contacted in relation to the next steps of the process.

The work of the Local Group is expected to restart from the end of June/beginning of July 2021.