Not sure which certification you need? This guide will point you in the right direction — for a precise answer to your specific case, contact us.
Based on your activity
| Your situation | Recommended standard | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Fruit and vegetable producer exporting to the EU | GLOBALG.A.P. IFA | The most widely required standard by European retail, covers the entire agricultural production cycle |
| You want to demonstrate responsible social practices on farm | GRASP (add-on to GLOBALG.A.P.) | Assesses working conditions and worker health & safety |
| You supply Tesco | NURTURE (add-on to GLOBALG.A.P.) | Tesco’s specific requirement on plant protection product management |
| You supply Albert Heijn or Delhaize | AH-DLL GROW (add-on to GLOBALG.A.P.) | Ahold Delhaize group’s specific requirement on hygiene and residues |
| You want to demonstrate a sustainable farming approach, especially for UK retailers | LEAF Marque | Recognized environmental sustainability standard; requires an existing baseline standard (e.g. GLOBALG.A.P.) |
| You process or pack food products for UK retail | BRCGS | British food safety standard, widely required by UK retailers |
| You process or pack food products for France / Germany / Italy retail | IFS FOOD | Standard of French-German-Italian origin, benchmark in these markets |
| You trade, store or distribute products already certified GLOBALG.A.P. | GLOBALG.A.P. CoC | Ensures segregation and traceability throughout the supply chain |
Based on your stage in the value chain
- Farm production: GLOBALG.A.P. IFA, complemented if needed by GRASP, NURTURE, AH-DLL GROW or BioDiversity depending on your buyers
- Processing / packing: BRCGS or IFS FOOD depending on your target markets
- Sustainable agriculture: LEAF Marque, in addition to a baseline standard
- Trading / logistics / storage: GLOBALG.A.P. CoC
Need more than one standard?
This is very common: most of our clients combine a baseline standard (GLOBALG.A.P. IFA or BRCGS/IFS FOOD depending on their activity) with one or more add-on modules required by their buyers (GRASP, NURTURE, AH-DLL GROW, BioDiversity). We plan these audits together to minimize the number of site visits.
Still unsure?
Tell us about your activity, your products and your target markets: we’ll point you to the right standard(s) and give you an estimated certification timeline.