GFSI Statement on Temporary Audit Measures During Covid-19 Pandemic

This update was originally posted by the Consumer Goods Forum on March 16, 2020. The original post can be accessed here

The GFSI team and Board are monitoring the Covid-19 situation on a daily basis. As the situation continues to develop, we must move to ensure consumers can continue to trust food safety standards globally whilst also mitigating impact on the supply chain. We would also like to highlight that the safety of auditors who travel to locations to conduct audits is a primary concern.

As the outbreak continues to expand, audit restrictions will continue to increase, which will inevitably have an impact on the certification status of certain sites. Under circumstances where an auditor is unable to travel, the GFSI calls on Certification Bodies (CBs) to review if there is the possibility of sending, to audit sites, auditors from regions that have no travel restrictions.

For those sites which cannot be audited traditionally, the GFSI Technical Committee has agreed in conjunction with the GFSI Board a suite of measures for the immediate term, designed to support those Certificate Programme Owners (CPOs) with expiring certificates to continue to fulfill their vital role of overseeing and monitoring the delivery of safe food to consumers everywhere at this time of crisis. We commit to keeping this position under continual review.

GFSI is also advising that during this period CPOs follow the recommendations listed in IAF ID3:2011, “Management of Extraordinary Events or Circumstances Affecting ABs, CABs and Certified Organizations”, or those of the Certification and Accreditation Administration of the People’s Republic of China (CNCA) in the case of sites located in China.

The complete suite of measures has been sent to all impacted stakeholders, but you should contact GFSI if you are CPO, AB or CB and have not received the document.

GFSI would like to thank everyone in our community who has supported us with information, valuable insights and counsel during this time to enable us to establish a collective, industry-wide position that puts safe food for consumers everywhere at its heart.