Tracing the path: Chain of Custody certification as an essential pillar for a responsible future

The standard identifies the status of the product throughout the process, establishing strict requirements for handling and segregation, suitable for certified and non-certified products in processing plants. In addition, any company involved in manufacturing, repackaging, splitting packaging, labeling, cutting or adding other agricultural-based components to the product can obtain Chain of Custody certification.

Such certification is essential for everyone in the supply chain who operates with GLOBALG.A.P., from packing houses, which handle the product, to marketers and retailers. Companies that receive products from a certified source and wish to sell them as such need CoC certification, which guarantees that any product declared as GLOBALG.A.P. certified comes from farms certified by the body.

“GLOBALG.A.P.'s Chain of Custody certification is essential to ensure the traceability of products throughout the chain,” says Helen Prosdocini, Technical Director of Sustainability and Agriculture at QIMA WQS. “I believe that this transparency is vital for building consumer trust and strengthening commitment to sustainable and safe practices,” adds Helen, who also explains that CoC certification does not directly address social and environmental issues, ”but by guaranteeing the traceability of the supply chain, it helps to ensure that responsible practices have been implemented at the farm of origin.”

This traceability allows buyers to have confidence that products are aligned with standards that respect both the environment and working conditions, even if these aspects are not directly monitored by the certification. The standard therefore guarantees a continuous chain in which certified products are identifiable and traceable, offering a high level of integrity and transparency for greater security for its customers and adding value to the product and the brand in the market.

Why certify GLOBALG.A.P. Chain of Custody?

• Pass on the added value of GLOBALG.A.P. certification to your sales of products purchased from third parties.
  
• Guarantee transparency and organization for your retail customers and other links in the production chain.
  
• Have your operation assessed by one of the main certification systems.
  
• Enable the labeling of certified products with GlobalG.A.P. certification information through the GGN seal initiative.
  
• Gain access to new local and global customers, markets, suppliers and distributors.
  
• Reduce the reputational risks associated with food and product safety.
  

What has been updated in the GLOBALG.A.P. CoC certification?

With the new model, changes and updates have been made to the CoC General Regulations (GR) and the CoC Control Points and Compliance Criteria (PCCCs).

Updates to the CoC General Regulations:

• Alignment with the current version of IFA 6, in terms of language and style.
  
• Clarification of the definition of subcontractor.
  
• Clarification of the definition of mixed products.
  
• Understanding the sampling criteria for retail stores and restaurant chains.
  Requirements for retail store distribution centers, which includes the need for CoC certification for retail store distribution centers when selling products with a GLOBALG.A.P. claim to other companies outside the store chain.
  
• Clarification of GLOBALG.A.P. certification for subcontractors.
  
• For fruit and vegetables, the definition of the scope now includes products that are processed. Processing can be cutting, rolling, slicing, freezing, and/or quick freezing (IQF), insofar as the original product remains visibly recognizable.
  
• New fields added to the paper CoC certificate template, which include the GLOBALG.A.P. certificate number and a list of high-risk subcontractors.
  

Updates to Control Points and Compliance Criteria:

• Changes to the structure (order of a few points).
  
• Addressing mass balance requirements.
  
• Approach to notifying CBs of new subcontractors.
  
• Addressing the use of the GGN Label.
  
• Two new recommendations addressing objectives related to food losses and waste reduction.
  
• Clarification on the supplier validation procedure, where only the GGN or CoC of direct suppliers need to be included (i.e. those from whom the company is buying the products).
  
• Clarification that the requirement for traceability using the preserved identity method and the segregation method is applicable to all types of products.
  
• Merging the requirements related to product labeling into a single control point.
  
• Alignment with IFA v6 aquaculture requirements.
  
• Comprehension of control points for retail stores and restaurant chains by creating groups of control points applicable to each area of the retail or restaurant chain group (e.g. head office, store distribution center and restaurant).
  

What is the most significant new feature validated in GLOBALG.A.P. CoC 6.1?

The main novelty of version 6.1 of the GLOBALG.A.P. CoC is the strengthening of measures to guarantee the integrity of the supply chain. Now, all suppliers within the chain, from production to the handling of bulk or packaged products, must be certified under this standard. The requirement includes mandatory certification for retail distribution centers that sell products with the GLOBALG.A.P. certification claim, guaranteeing greater transparency and traceability of the products sold.