Study Shows Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) Results

“Certification to a GFSI recognized scheme demonstrates that food safety management systems are more effective, thus delivering greater confidence in the safety of the products which are delivered to the consumer,” said Catherine Francois, Global Director of Diversey Consulting.

The study included 834 food manufacturers across 21 countries, including organizations in North America, Mexico, Western Europe, Australia and New Zealand. The research concluded that the primary drivers to implement a GFSI recognized scheme was to meet an existing or new customer requirement.

Noteworthy study results include:

• A large majority of survey respondents say that certification against a GFSI recognized scheme has enhanced their ability to produce safe food
• A majority of respondents say that certification has helped them improve compliance with existing regulations and helped them better prepare for future regulatory changes
• The majority of respondents say that certifications has strengthen their food safety culture through enhancements in training, increased communication, better measurements, and strengthen management commitment.

Frank Yiannas, Vice President of Food Safety for Walmart and Vice Chair of GFSI said, “This landmark study provides further evidence of the role credible private food safety efforts can plan in advancing food safety, enhancing regulatory compliance, and promoting a culture of food safety, so that consumers worldwide can live better.”

While the research also showed that short-term costs of implementing GFSI recognized schemes exist and that some of the efficiencies hoped for through the elimination of redundancies have not been realized, the GFSI Board will use these results to drive even greater operational efficiencies.

The results from this study will be submitted for publication in a peer reviewed scientific publication.

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DIVERSEY CONSULTING

Diversey Consulting is an independent consulting group within Diversey Care that offers solutions for food safety, risk management, operational efficiency and brand protection. As part of its offering, Diversey Consulting provides training, auditing and preparation for GFSI recognized scheme implementation. For more information, visit www.diversey.com/consulting.
Diversey Care is a division of Sealed Air Corp., a leader in food safety and security, facility hygiene and product protection. For more information about Diversey, please visit www.diversey.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

SEALED AIR

Sealed Air Corporation creates a world that feels, tastes and works better. In 2013, the Company generated revenue of approximately $7.7 billion by helping our customers achieve their sustainability goals in the face of today’s biggest social and environmental challenges. Our portfolio of widely recognized brands, including Cryovac® brand food packaging solutions, Bubble Wrap® brand cushioning and Diversey™ cleaning and hygiene solutions, ensures a safer and less wasteful food supply chain, protects valuable goods shipped around the world, and improves health through clean environments. Sealed Air has approximately 25,000 employees who serve customers in 175 countries. To learn more, visit www.sealedair.com.

THE GLOBAL FOOD SAFETY INITIATIVE

The Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) is a business-driven initiative for the continuous improvement of food safety management systems to ensure confidence in the delivery of safe food to consumers worldwide. GFSI was launched in 2000 following a number of food safety crises when consumer confidence was at an all-time low. Its collaborative approach to food safety brings together international food safety experts from the entire food supply chain at technical working group and stakeholder meetings, conferences and regional events to share knowledge and promote a harmonized approach to managing food safety across the industry. GFSI is managed by The Consumer Goods Forum. For more information, please visit www.mygfsi.com