1.2.1 Requirements for Scheme Application – New Scheme
The GFSI will require the applicant scheme owner to:
a) have in place a written Agreement or Memorandum of Understanding with GFSI1 , and...
b) submit an application for recognition for a defined scope(s)2, and...
c) submit an application for recognition to GFSI together with supporting evidence proving that;
►there is commitment from a minimum of three user organisations representing the retail / food service or producing / manufacturing sectors that use, or are going to use the scheme, and...
►there is agreement with one or more Accreditation Bodies for Certification Bodies to operate to ISO/IEC Guide 65 or ISO /IEC 17021:2006 (supplemented by ISO/TS 22003) for the scope of their scheme. The decision as to the most appropriate generic standard to be used to accredit Certification Bodies for the scope of a scheme shall be made in consultation with Accreditation Bodies, but the final decision shall rest with the Accreditation Bodies.
Where the scheme owner has agreements with two or more Accreditation Bodies, the use of the accreditation standard must be the same irrespective of the Accreditation Body and it is incumbent on the scheme owner to ensure that consistency of decision making exists between Accreditation Bodies. The Accreditation Bodies granting accreditation to the scope of the scheme shall be members of the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) and shall be signatories to the Multilateral Recognition Arrangement (MLA), and...
►there are contractual relationships3 with at least two Certification Bodies that have accreditation for the scope of the scheme with an Accreditation Body, and...
► the scheme has in place ten accredited certificates for single site audits (for the relevant scope of the application) issued by Certification Bodies, including at least one certificate issued by each Certification Body during a twelve month period prior to the date of the application, and...
► the scheme has been operational for a period of twelve months prior to the date of application. During this
period, certificates shall be issued to a variety of organisations. A scheme is deemed to become operational
on the date on which the first accredited certificate is issued by a Certification Body.
1 The type of written agreement is subject to GFSI Board discretion (available from the secretariat upon request).
2A new application from a scheme owner may be submitted with a number of scopes of recognition. In this event the benchmarking process shall be carried out in accordance with Part I Section 1.2.1.1, Methodology- Preliminary Screening and Benchmarking Application (New Scheme) for one scope of recognition and the other scopes of recognition will be addressed in accordance with
Part I Section 1.2.1.2 Methodology - Benchmarking Application (Extensions to scope of recognition). The GFSI Benchmarking
Committee Leader will assign Benchmark Committee members to ensure the expertise is in place within specific Committees in relation to scope of recognition.