GLOBALG.A.P. ANNUAL REPORT 2022
The Year in Review
2022 in numbers
All data throughout this report is valid as of 31 December 2022.
*Aggregated figure representing producers certified to the IFA, CFM, CfP, HPSS, and PHA standards. Excluding expiring or private solutions.
†Throughout this report, hectares refer to the physical area of land under certification.
⁑Aggregated figure representing certificates for the IFA, CFM, CfP, HPSS, PHA, and CoC standards. Excluding expiring or private solutions.
Highlights
Launch of smart farm assurance solutions
Announced in early April and spearheaded by the revised Integrated Farm Assurance (IFA) version 6 standard, the launch of smart farm assurance solutions indicated a complete overhaul of GLOBALG.A.P.’s portfolio of solutions and services to offer more streamlined, intuitive, and digitalized solutions for the entire sector. The concept of smart farm assurance solutions represents the framework that will underpin all future GLOBALG.A.P. activities and support the organizational goal of fostering the global adoption of safe, socially and environmentally responsible farming practices.
New and revised standards
On 26 April, we launched the revised IFA v6 standard in two parallel editions—v6 Smart and v6 GFS, an amended version for those requiring GFSI recognition. The revised standard includes mandatory continuous improvement plans introduced at producer level as well as new and updated sustainability criteria on topics such as plastics, waste, carbon neutrality, deforestation, and animal welfare.
In combination with IFA v6, the newly revised GLOBALG.A.P. Risk Assessment on Social Practice (GRASP) add-on was launched in version 2 to include greater coverage of workers and stricter requirements. For example, subcontracted and short-term workers are now covered under the add-on, and employers are required to provide access to comprehensive, easily understood information on workers’ payment as well as their rights.
The new BioDiversity add-on was also published in April to promote biodiversity in conventional fruit and vegetable production.
The GLOBALG.A.P. Chain of Custody (CoC) standard was revised for version 6.1 and launched in 2022. The upgraded standard includes stricter rules and integrity requirements to ensure that any product bearing a GGN label logo or sold with a GLOBALG.A.P. claim is truly sourced from a GLOBALG.A.P. certified production process.
The Compound Feed Manufacturing (CFM) version 3.1 standard was launched at the end of the year, featuring significant updates including expanded environmental and social governance criteria with a more rigorous focus on sustainability, workers’ well-being, and responsible sourcing of critical compounds such as soy, fish meal, and fish oil.
GRASP adoption in Asia
GRASP tackles some of the most pressing social issues facing the global supply chain including worker exploitation, child labor, and human rights and already covers 1.8 million farm workers and over 122,400 producers in 102 countries.
In September 2022 we saw the publication of new National Interpretation Guidelines (NIG) for GRASP in Japan. Two months later, Japan joined numerous countries across Asia—including Thailand, Vietnam, China, Taiwan, South Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines—in implementing its first GRASP assessment. The first farm to be GRASP assessed—fruit and vegetables producer Miyoi Co., Ltd.– therefore marked another important milestone for social responsibility in the Asian agricultural sector.
Launch of Registered Trainer program
In January 2022, the Registered Trainer program succeeded the Farm Assurer program. The program remains focused on GLOBALG.A.P. capacity-building projects, though with a new emphasis on trainings. Registered Trainers are not only agricultural experts trained and examined by GLOBALG.A.P., but also authorized to host their own trainings on GLOBALG.A.P. standards—usually for producers. The relaunch was accompanied by the new Registered Trainer seal. Each Registered Trainer is granted a seal which is renewed each year, making it easier to verify them.
You can find Registered Trainers online by searching by name, company, scope, or country in our Registered Trainer search tool.
China joins GGN label
The GGN label was used in China for the first time in 2022, with Sam’s Club debuting Member’s Mark Atlantic Salmon Fillet products with the white and blue GGN label. Produced on Norwegian fish farms certified to IFA, the salmon is traceable from the packed product to the fish itself, all the way back to the egg.
GGN label named "top quality label" in aquaculture
Independent Dutch educational sustainability foundation, Milieu Centraal, awarded the GGN label its highest accolades. On 30 June 2022, the foundation deemed the GGN label to be the “top quality label” for the seafood sector out of their recent study on consumer food labels. This was assessed on the basis of environmental sustainability, animal welfare, social responsibility, control, and transparency.
Trademark policy launch
To protect GLOBALG.A.P. brand integrity and promote reliable use of the GLOBALG.A.P. trademarks, the “GLOBALG.A.P. trademarks use: Policy and guidelines” document was published on 4 July 2022. It provides those wishing to demonstrate their connection to GLOBALG.A.P. with a comprehensive guide on the proper usage of our logos, seals, identification numbers, claims, and texts—while protecting GLOBALG.A.P. brand integrity.
GLOBALG.A.P. also launched several exclusive seals at the time, made available to specific stakeholders who participate formally in the GLOBALG.A.P. network. The new trademark policy was also integrated into the requirements for IFA v6, so that producers have their trademark use checked by certification bodies as part of their IFA v6 audit.
Events
2022 was an exciting year for events, with GLOBALG.A.P. enjoying a return to several onsite events, restarting TOUR stops, and announcing some important developments.
A snapshot of our 2022 events:
Fruit Logistica | 05 – 07 April 2022 | Berlin, Germany
With over 40,000 visitors from 132 different countries, Fruit Logistica returned on site in 2022 for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic broke out. The GLOBALG.A.P. Secretariat joined 1,993 other exhibitors from 87 countries. On the second day, we held a news update unveiling the GLOGALG.A.P. vision for the future – smart farm assurance solutions. Spearheaded by the revised Integrated Farm Assurance (IFA) standard version 6, GLOGALG.A.P. experts and several of our retailer members discussed the news and provided comprehensive insights. We also announced the launch of the BioDiversity add-on and updates to the GGN label.
IFA v6 and GRASP v2 launch | 26 April 2022 | Online
In a live online event hosted by GLOBALG.A.P. and Fruitnet Media International, IFA v6 and GRASP v2 were officially launched for the plants and aquaculture scopes. The event included prerecorded content in English and Spanish as well as a panel discussion featuring special guest Chris White, moderator Bianca Thomas, GLOBALG.A.P. Advisory Board Chairman Guy Callebaut, and Vice Chairman Dr. Leon Mol, as well as GLOBALG.A.P. Managing Directors (MD).
MD Dr. Elmé Coetzer-Boersma commented, “IFA v6 is GLOBALG.A.P.’s flagship standard in a new and improved format. It has a simplified structure and language, extended criteria on key issues such as sustainability and animal welfare, and – for the first time – continuous improvement at producer level. Overall, it’s a smarter standard, fit for the future.”
Seafood Expo Global | 26 – 28 April 2022 | Barcelona, Spain
The GLOBALG.A.P. Secretariat took part in the world’s leading seafood trade fair, Seafood Expo Global, along with over 29,000 professionals including media representatives, seafood buyers, suppliers, and industry professionals from over 150 countries. We hosted a booth for three days where we provided a range of information on the new and revised IFA v6 aquaculture certification as well as the expansion of the consumer facing GGN label on a global scale. We also held a news update on 27 April in a panel discussion format featuring former Managing Director Dr. Kristian Moeller*, Chairwoman of the GLOBALG.A.P. Aquaculture Technical Committee Teresa Fernández, GLOBALG.A.P. Advisory Board member and CLAMA GmbH & Co. KG CEO Martin Hofstede, and representatives from retailers across the sector.
*Dr. Kristian Moeller resigned from his role as Managing Director at GLOBALG.A.P. c/o FoodPLUS GmbH in May 2023 in order to devote his time to a new project. Managing Directors Elmé Coetzer-Boersma and Markus Philipp, both appointed in 2021, have remained in their roles.
“Smart Farm Assurance Solutions” webinar series | 23 – 31 May 2022 | Online
In late May, GLOBALG.A.P. technical experts hosted the “Smart Farm Assurance Solutions” webinar series discussing IFA v6, the GRASP add-on, and the GLOBALG.A.P. vision for entering the era of smart farm assurance solutions. The experts introduced IFA v6 for fruit and vegetables, aquaculture, flowers and ornamentals, and hops, covering both IFA v6 Smart and IFA v6 GFS where relevant. With sessions hosted in English, Spanish, and German, over 600 people were in attendance in total, and the highest attendance was for the IFA v6 for fruit and vegetables and GRASP discussions.
Fish International | 04 – 06 September 2022 | Bremen, Germany
With over 300 exhibitors from almost 30 countries, Fish International hosted approximately 10,000 visitors from across the aquaculture supply chain. Being the only German trade fair for fish and seafood, the event offers a unique opportunity for producers, traders, retailers, and other industry members to network, exchange ideas, and learn about new developments and products on the German market. GLOBALG.A.P. experts enjoyed connecting with supply chain members while hosting a booth over the three-day event. On Monday, our Key Account Manager for Aquaculture, Remko Oosterveld, participated in a panel discussion on the topics of marketing aquaculture products and promoting animal welfare through GLOBALG.A.P. standards and add-ons and the GGN label.
Fruit Attraction | 04 – 06 October 2022 | Madrid, Spain
Taking place in the Spanish capital of Madrid, Fruit Attraction 2022 marked a major date in the calendar for the fruit and vegetables sector with over 90,000 visitors attending the three-day event. The GLOBALG.A.P. Secretariat coexhibited with our GLOBALG.A.P. community member, Agrocolor, one of the biggest certification bodies to certify to GLOBALG.A.P. standards in Spain. We also provided the agricultural industry with a news update where panelists from FoodPLUS as well as retailer experts from Coexphal, Edeka/Hanse Lutra SL., and Migros discussed the benefits of GLOBALG.A.P. standards for Spanish agriculture. Topics included the responsible use of water at farm level as well as the specific challenges facing the region, including the health, safety, and welfare of workers in Spain.
Tokyo Sustainable Seafood Summit | 19 – 21 October 2022 | Tokyo, Japan
The 2022 Tokyo Sustainable Seafood Summit surrounded discussions on sustainability and responsibility in the seafood industry, addressing issues such as climate change, biodiversity, and worker rights. Joining various experts from NGOs, governments, and companies around the world, Katsuhisa Takesue – GLOBALG.A.P. Technical Key Account Manager for Japan – hosted a booth covering the GGN label. The summit brought fruitful networking opportunities and discussions to expand the reach of the GGN label.
Mexico TOUR stop | 20 October 2022 | Guadalajara, Mexico
GLOBALG.A.P. TOUR stops reignited with a one-day event in the western Mexican city of Guadalajara. In partnership with Holland House Mexico, the event was focused on reaching out to Mexican producers to emphasize the value of internationally recognized certification, and the importance of working within a sustainable framework. As Mexico is a leading producer of fruit and vegetables in the Latin American region, the country is facing increasing demands for more environmentally and socially responsible farming practices.
Trade Fair Aalsmeer | 09 – 11 November 2022 | Aalsmeer, Netherlands
2022 marked the first GLOBALG.A.P. appearance at the Trade Fair Aalsmeer, a Royal FloraHolland initiative that brings the floriculture sector together every year to showcase the latest trends and innovations. GLOBALG.A.P. experts presented our comprehensive range of smart farm assurance solutions for floriculture and discussed our products with both existing and prospective clients and business partners. The team also participated in the Floriculture Sustainability Initiative (FSI) meeting and held fruitful discussions with Royal FloraHolland and the Dutch Flower Group.
Tanzania TOUR stop | 28 – 30 November 2022 | Arusha, Tanzania
The Tanzania TOUR stop brought together supply chain members, certification bodies, consultants, and more to discuss responsible farming practices in Tanzania and across East Africa. Featuring panels, exhibitions, and one field day visit, the event was organized in partnership with the Tanzania Horticultural Association (TAHA) and the Finnish Agri-agency for Food and Forest Development (FFD). The collaborative event focused on analyzing challenges and trends in GLOBALG.A.P. certification in Tanzania and on improving local, regional, and international collaboration to increase certification readiness.
Japan TOUR stop | 09 December 2022 | Fujisaki, Japan
Organized in partnership with GAP Extension Organization, this one-day event marked the last TOUR stop of the year. It was attended by local government representatives, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), producers, retailers, certification bodies, and the National Technical Working Group Japan. Key discussions surrounded producer and retailer perspectives on GLOBALG.A.P. solutions, explanations of the IFA certification system, and the MAFF “Strategy for Sustainable Food Systems.
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