The Global Food Safety Initiative

What The Global Food Safety Initiative does

The Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) is a non-profit industry coalition established in 2000 and operated as a Coalition of Action within The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF), headquartered in Levallois-Perret, France. GFSI does not conduct audits or issue certifications directly. Its core function is providing a benchmarking and harmonisation framework — primarily the GFSI Benchmarking Requirements (BMRs) — that enables mutual recognition of food safety certification programmes across the global food supply chain. Under its "once certified, recognised everywhere" principle, certifications issued by GFSI-recognised Certification Programme Owners (CPOs) such as BRCGS, FSSC 22000, GLOBALG.A.P., IFS, and SQF are accepted by major retailers and manufacturers worldwide. The initiative is governed by a Steering Committee of 15-18 senior food safety executives from global retailers and manufacturers, supported by 25+ Working Groups and 20+ Local Groups across more than 50 countries, all coordinated by an internal team of 9 employees.

GFSI's product portfolio comprises four main pillars: the Benchmarking Requirements framework (Version 2024 launched December 2024 with full alignment to Codex Alimentarius and ISO 22003); the Race to the Top (RTTT) transformational programme for audit integrity and capability building; the upcoming ARC (Authentication and Repository of Certificates) cloud-based platform for certificate verification, targeted for 2026 launch; and the Food Safety Auditor Training and Professional Development Framework released in September 2024. Knowledge dissemination is delivered through an annual conference (Dublin 2025, Vancouver 2026 with 600+ attendees), regional Focus Days, webinars, and multilingual publications including position papers and Technical Advisory Notes. The framework also covers Global Markets Programme (GMaP) for SME capability building and a Government-to-Business (G2B) Forum for regulator engagement.

As a non-profit, GFSI does not charge fees for its benchmarking, harmonisation, or capability-building services. The initiative is funded through membership contributions from CGF member companies and conference activities. Its commercial reach occurs indirectly through GFSI-recognised CPOs that issue third-party certifications to Food Business Operators (FBOs) — farms, processors, and manufacturers — which in turn supply major global retailers. The stakeholder ecosystem spans food retailers and manufacturers (primary segment), government and regulatory bodies (via the G2B Forum), CPOs seeking GFSI recognition, and SMEs accessing the Global Markets Programme. Geographic coverage spans EMEA, Asia Pacific (with active Local Groups in China and Japan), and North America (US-Canada Local Group), with Africa expansion underway via a 2023 USAID partnership.

Name

The Global Food Safety Initiative

Legal name

The Global Food Safety Initiative

Website

https://mygfsi.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Global Food Safety Initiative is a non-profit industry coalition under The Consumer Goods Forum that benchmarks food safety certification programmes to enable global mutual recognition among retailers, manufacturers, certification bodies, and regulators across 50+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Food Safety Certification Standards

akta.pro primary industry

GFSI Scheme Certification Audits (BRCGS, SQF, FSSC 22000, IFS) (AFALABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Supplier Approval, Verification & Food Safety Risk Management (GFSI-aligned) (AFALADAH), Food Safety & Quality Scheme Certifications (GFSI Programs) (AFALAMAI), Storage & Distribution Audits (Warehousing, Cold Chain, Logistics) (AFALABAF), Traceability, Mass Balance & Recall Mock Audits (Chain-of-Custody Verification) (AFALABAK), Retail, Foodservice & Catering Audits (Restaurants, Commissaries, Central Kitchens) (AFALABAG)

Keywords

• Food safety benchmarking
• Certification harmonization
• Food safety standards
• Auditor professional development
• Supply chain assurance

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations, Others

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

The Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) provides a food safety benchmarking and harmonisation framework that enables mutual recognition of third-party certification programmes across the global food industry. Its core deliverable is the GFSI Benchmarking Requirements (BMRs), which define the standards that certification programme owners must meet to achieve GFSI recognition, supporting a 'once certified, recognised everywhere' approach. GFSI also operates capability-building programmes such as the Global Markets Programme (GMaP), an upcoming cloud-based certificate authentication platform (ARC), and an Auditor Professional Development Framework.

Product overview

The Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) is an Industry Solution from The Consumer Goods Forum that provides a unified food safety benchmarking and harmonisation framework, not a single software product. The core offering consists of the GFSI Benchmarking Requirements (BMRs), which enable certification programmes to achieve GFSI recognition for 'once certified, recognised everywhere' acceptance globally. Supporting this are the Race to the Top Framework for transformational change, the upcoming ARC (Authentication and Repository of Certificates) platform for certificate verification, the Auditor Training and Professional Development Framework for professionalising food safety auditing, and the Global Markets Programme for capability building in SMEs. GFSI also facilitates knowledge exchange through annual conferences, regional focus days, webinars, and publications. The governance structure includes a Steering Committee of food safety executives from global retailers and manufacturers, supported by Technical and Governance Subcommittees. Local Groups adapt the global strategy to regional markets worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MyGFSI: Online portal for GFSI members and stakeholders providing access to resources, events, and certification programme information

Products and services

• GFSI Benchmarking Requirements (BMRs) The foundational benchmarking framework defining requirements for food safety certification programmes, enabling 'once certified, recognised everywhere' mutual acceptance across the industry. Certification Programme Owners (CPOs) apply for GFSI recognition against these requirements.
• ARC (Authentication and Repository of Certificates) A cloud-based platform providing an open online registry of all certificates issued against GFSI-recognised programmes, enabling authentication and verification of certificate authenticity to combat fraudulent activities.
• Food Safety Auditor Training and Professional Development Framework A professional development framework providing a clear and consistent matrix for food safety auditors at any career stage to assess themselves and progress through ongoing professional development, addressing the shortage of qualified auditors and inconsistent audit quality.
• Race to the Top Framework GFSI's programme for transformational change focused on improving audit integrity, benchmarking requirements, capability building, and public-private partnerships across the global food safety ecosystem.
• Global Markets Programme (GMaP) A capability building initiative designed to help build food safety capability and aid SMEs to achieve certification to a GFSI-recognised food safety programme and improve market access, particularly in developing regions.
• Government-to-Business (G2B) Forum Platform for strengthening collaboration between public and private sectors in food safety, facilitating exchange of insights on the role of third-party certification in regulatory landscapes and integrating unique identifiers for certification verification.
• Technical Advisory Notes (TAN) A mechanism providing timely clarification on the intent, interpretation, or expected application of existing Benchmarking Requirements, offering supplementary context between formal BMR updates.
• GFSI Conference The premier annual event bringing 600+ global food safety leaders and experts together to collaboratively safeguard consumer trust, brand reputation, and business viability (Dublin 2025; Vancouver 2026).
• GFSI Focus Days Regional events (e.g. China Focus Day, Japan Focus Day, Mexico Focus Day) that raise awareness of GFSI's benefits in regional markets, providing local stakeholders with networking and knowledge exchange opportunities.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• USAIDcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2023GFSI signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the US international development agency USAID to build partnerships with governmental organisations. The partnership provides a path for GFSI to reach out to African suppliers for piloting and designing the Capability Building Framework, focusing on capability building in developing markets.
• The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGFSI is an Industry Solution (Coalition of Action) within The Consumer Goods Forum, bringing together retailers and manufacturers to provide safe food for people everywhere. GFSI operates under CGF's governance and strategy.
• Codex AlimentariuscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGFSI Benchmarking Requirements are aligned with Codex Alimentarius and ISO 22003 standards, ensuring that GFSI-recognised certification programmes comply with global food safety standards established by this international food standards body.
• ISO (International Organization for Standardization)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGFSI Benchmarking Requirements align with ISO 22003, providing a framework that ensures mutual recognition and trust in certification programmes against internationally recognised standards.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• SGS: One of the world's largest testing, inspection, and certification (TIC) companies that conducts GFSI-benchmarked audits through accredited certification bodies. Comparable as a global incumbent operating across food safety certification and adjacent supply-chain assurance.
• Bureau Veritas: A global TIC company providing food safety certification and supply-chain assurance services, including audits against GFSI-recognised CPO standards. Comparable as a broad incumbent in the same ecosystem.
• Codex Alimentarius Commission (FAO/WHO): The international food standards body whose Codex Alimentarius standards underpin GFSI's BMR alignment. Comparable as the upstream regulatory/standards authority that GFSI defers to on global food safety requirements.
• ISO (TC 34 Food Products): The international standards body whose ISO 22000/22003 family forms a foundational pillar of GFSI's BMR framework. Comparable as a broader incumbent defining food safety management system standards that GFSI aligns to.

Direct peers

• FSSC 22000 (Foundation for Food Safety Certification): A GFSI-recognised CPO owned by the Foundation for Food Safety Certification. Directly comparable as one of the leading certification schemes benchmarked by GFSI's BMR framework.
• BRCGS: A GFSI-recognised Certification Programme Owner that issues food safety certifications against BRCGS standards. Directly comparable as one of the major CPOs benchmarked by GFSI and serving the same global retailer/manufacturer base.
• SQF Institute (SQFI): A GFSI-recognised CPO that administers the Safe Quality Food programme. Directly comparable as one of the principal certification programmes benchmarked by GFSI.
• GLOBALG.A.P. A GFSI-recognised CPO focused on primary production (crops, aquaculture, livestock). Directly comparable as a certification programme owner whose standards are benchmarked by GFSI.
• IFS (International Featured Standards): A GFSI-recognised CPO managing IFS Food, Logistics, and other standards. Directly comparable as one of the major third-party certification schemes benchmarked by GFSI.

Emerging players

• FoodChain ID: A food safety, certification, and supply-chain solutions provider offering non-GMO, organic, and food safety certifications. Comparable as a niche/emerging certification services provider in the same ecosystem GFSI governs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/myGFSI
• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?list=PLLhngS1fzGFHrpgSTFUP_nK2jVDzpUkyc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/global-food-safety-initiative

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The Global Food Safety Initiative