GFSI has ended the temporary suspension of IFS that came into effect on 8 December 2022.
IFS Announcement:
“We provided GFSI with all necessary information on the case in Italy, underwent an audit with the GFSI Benchmark Leader on 3 March 2023, and have consistently met GFSI benchmarking requirements. We therefore welcome today's (8 March) decision by the GFSI Steering Committee to reinstate IFS as a GFSI recognized CPO.
However, IFS considered GFSI's suspension of the benchmark to be unfounded and arbitrary. It has upset many IFS certified companies and has not contributed to food safety. We have always worked to ensure that their customers continue to recognize IFS certificates and are grateful for the trust placed in us by our global network.
In the interest of all CPOs, certification bodies, certified companies and other stakeholders, we would like to see GFSI review its governance rules to ensure that basic democratic principles are respected, procedures are transparent and fair, and that the rules are followed by all participants in the future. We all want to work for the cause of food safety, taking into account the different needs and approaches of all stakeholders."