Product Certification

Certification Process

Main steps in our product certification process (for GlobalG.A.P. Scheme) are:

1. Request: the Producer has to complete an Application form in order to provide legal entity, product data and specific scheme information which is necessary for registration in the GlobalG.A.P. database.
2. Contract and Scheduling: Once the proposal is accepted, ICG will contact the Producer to schedule the onsite inspection/audit.
3. Registration: ICG registers the Producer in the GlobalG.A.P. database and communicates the GGN to the Producer.
4. Evaluation: ICG performs the evaluation according to the relevant GLOBAL G.A.P. Checklist. At the end of the evaluation, the inspector/auditor will provide the Producer with a report with information on the percentages of compliance and where appropriate, the non-conformance(s) and/or non-compliance(s) detected during the audit o inspection.
5. Corrective Actions: If the audit/inspection results were not 100% of major obligations and 95% of minor obligations, the Producer takes corrective actions and sends the corresponding evidence within the indicated period by the auditor/inspector. The auditor/inspector reviews the evidence and verifies if they are sufficient and adequate to close the finding. The deadline for closing findings on an initial certification is 28 days. If the Producer does not send corrective actions within 28 days, a status of “open nonconformity” will be applied in the database and the deadline may be extended up to 90 days (this does not apply to re-certifications or scope extensions).
6. Certificate Issuance: If the Producer has complied with the requirements established by GLOBALG.A.P, the findings have been closed, with a compliance percentage of 100% for major obligations and 95% for minion obligations, a conformity certificate is issued. The certificate will be sent and the GLOBALG.A.P database updated, so the producer status appears as “certified”.