A robust and well-managed food chain is essential to the health and well-being of all consumers and is fundamental to social and economic stability. This makes food safety a critical issue that must be managed effectively throughout the food chain, from farm to fork.

The consequences of food-borne illness can be devastating, both for the consumer and for retailers and other organizations in the supply chain. Failing to meet industry standards for food safety can result in prosecution, product recall, lost opportunities and negative publicity. In addition to food safety, the global food chain has significant impact on the environment and on the health and safety of its employees.

To meet obligations to the public and stay competitive, food and beverage companies throughout the food chain must meet high expectations for quality and safety. Certification to food and beverage industry standards can help organizations maintain legal compliance, satisfy customers, improve their brand reputation and more.

The GFSI is a collaboration between retailers, manufacturers and service providers within the supply chain, and coordinated by The Consumer Goods Forum. By benchmarking standards against each other to a set of criteria, GFSI aims to reduce the duplication of retailers asking for separate, yet nearly identical, audits.

Following a number of food safety related issues, there is no doubt for the need for food safety certification to enhance food safety, ensure consumer protection and to strengthen consumer confidence. The multiplicity of standards available, however, often made the process out of reach for many food suppliers. GFSI sets requirements for food safety schemes through a benchmarking process in order to improve cost efficiency throughout the food supply chain.

What this means for many companies is that a single food safety audit will be recognized by multiple retailers.