GMP+: thirty years of, for and by the sector

Roland van der Post
Managing Director, GMP+ International

Every year in May, we publish our annual report. A key figure in the report is always the number of certified companies and the growth compared to the previous year. That figure gives some indication of where we stand with our objective of Feed Safety Worldwide.

But another figure in the annual report that attracts rather less attention but is perhaps equally important is the number of partnerships. Thanks to the efforts of our partners, we can continue to meet customers’ needs. They also act as ambassadors for GMP+ International and open doors in emerging regions. In 2021, GMP+ International acquired more new partners.

Sharing ideas about the future

Partners are mostly industry bodies that are well disposed towards GMP+ International. The feeling is entirely mutual. Which is why a partnership with GMP+ International involves much more than just putting a logo on each other's websites. For example, as a GMP+ International partner, you can participate in one of our expert committees.

As the scheme holder, we listen to the advice of the International Expert Committee, which in turn is advised by various subcommittees. In this way, we keep a finger on the pulse of industry practice; after all, companies and sector bodies know better than anyone what is and is not practicable. So as a partner, you will be actively sharing ideas about the future of the scheme, which also means you get a head start in terms of information.

Knowledge and experience

Over the years, we at GMP+ International have learned to listen more and more carefully to the sector. The 19,000 certified companies and dozens of partners, Certification Bodies and consultants possess a wealth of knowledge and experience. We actively encourage and very much appreciate input from partners.

For this reason, twice a year we sit down with our Certification Bodies in the harmonisation meetings. We discuss the latest developments and go through cases from practice. We listen, discuss, and refine each other's perspectives. With just one goal – to learn from one another.

Share your ideas

Whether it’s about these initiatives, setting up the GMP+ Academy with training institutes or having discussions together at the Global Feed Safety Summit, partnership remains crucial to a future-proof scheme.

Your voice counts too. Do you have ideas about the GMP+ Feed Certification scheme? Please share them! Because as our Global Feed Safety Summit proved, if intrinsically motivated feed experts put their heads together, that can only result in lots of good things.