GMP+ International Certification Overview

• The customer has submitted to voluntary assessment (audit) according to defined criteria (certification standard).
• A certificate is only issued if the assessment (audit) does not reveal any major nonconformities with the requirements of the certification standard.
• The certificates are valid for a restricted period of time. Interested parties can check the validity of individual certificates in the certificate database of TÜV SÜD Management Service GmbH or the standard owner (http://cdb.gmpplus.org/index.php?page=gmpplus&publang=4).
• To maintain certificate validity, the certificate holder must annually complete an announced audit with a positive result.
• Unannounced audits are possible in specific cases.

Independent and qualified experts (auditors) apply the following auditing techniques:

• Document review
  The auditors verify that the organisation has documented all elements which need to be documented in writing according to the applicable GMP+ standards or scopes (e.g. organisation, scope of application, responsibility of top management, risk evaluation etc.).
  
  
• On-site audit
  When on site at the organisation's premises, the auditors check whether the organisation has implemented the requirements of the GMP+ standards or scopes correctly. Assessment covers the food-safety management system, programme with basic requirements, crisis management and early warning system, HACCP study, control of operating activities, evaluation of regular checks and continuous improvement.

• Certification according to GMP+ does not constitute product certification. Certification thus does not provide any direct statements on the quality of a product or service of the certified customer.
• Certification according to GMP+ does not ensure in each specific case that a product or service complies with customer requirements and product-related legal requirements, even though this is one of the key objectives of the feed safety management system.