‘Essential for Chile’: Country partners with GFSI to advance food safety

13-May-2018 - Last updated on 13-May-2018 at 20:00 GMT

The Chilean food safety and quality agency, ACHIPA, has signed a partnership with the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) to advance food safety and progress at a regional level.

The strategic partnership, which was announced earlier this month at the Global Food Safety Conference (GFSC) in Tokyo, focuses on piloting operational approaches on food safety culture, building food safety capacity in Chilean facilities based on the GFSI's Global Markets Program, and identifying opportunities for regional and global collaboration.

“Deepening partnerships with food safety regulators is a critical part of advancing sustainable food safety on a global scale,” said Michel Leporati, Head of ACHIPIA. “In today's complex global food supply ecosystem, any one company or country in isolation cannot achieve food safety objectives. The partnership is essential for Chile.”

Public-private partnerships

According to a GFSI press release, the agreement is part of initiative’s mission to build more public-private partnerships (PPPs) between companies, government regulators and intergovernmental organizations, reducing trade barriers, and harmonizing global food safety legislation.

These PPPs give countries access to private sector expertise and best practices, said the GFSI release. Governmental agencies may also benefit from GFSI's food safety capability-building expertise and core curriculum. GFSI's Global Markets Programme is a framework outlining how countries with underdeveloped food safety systems can reduce hazards in supply chains and improve market access.

“The partnership will provide all parties with guidance through the Global Markets Programme, supporting Chilean companies with underdeveloped food safety systems and buyers, as well as helping to address food safety challenges,” said Erich Jaeger, VP of Food Safety for Walmart Chile and Argentina and leader of the GFSI Chile team. “The agreement will also reduce hazards and enhance market access through enrolment in the GFSI's recognized certification programs.”

GFSI is managed by The Consumer Goods Forum, which counts Unilever, The Coca-Cola Company, PwC, DSM, Amcor, Tetra Pak and Nestlé as members. It was established in 2000 to find collaborative solutions to collective concerns, notably to reduce food safety risks, audit duplication and costs while building trust throughout the supply chain.

Mike Robach, Chairman of the GFSI Board of Directors and VP of Food Safety at Cargill, added: “This agreement presents an opportunity for greater alignment between private and public approaches, improved regulatory efficiencies, and trading activity and is another key milestone for delivering GFSI objective of safer food for consumers everywhere.”