In my time at GMP+ I’ve often thought about my grandfather.
He was a dairy farmer in Zoeterwoude, and when we were growing up he taught us a very simple lesson; you don’t mess with feed. If an animal is going to eat it, you keep it safe. Risking animal welfare, people’s health, or even your own reputation… you just don’t do it.
Today is my last day as GMP+ International’s Managing Director. Looking back, not just at my nine years with the organisation but at the 31 years since GMP+ was founded, I am so proud to see this simple lesson being applied everyday by many thousands of companies all over the world.
We have built the most solid and widely-used scheme for feed safety, recognised and valued around the world, and is still growing and developing. And when I say ‘we’, I mean all of us who did this together. Not just the team at GMP+, but our partners, our stakeholders, our industry. Our community.
I’m very proud of the progress we’ve driven, but more so I’m excited by the possibilities for the future.
The future is safe
I am confident that we have everything we need to keep safety at the top of every discussion going forward, for both GMP+ and the companies we work with.
That would not be the case if we used a tick-box process only, but is in truth only possible from having built a culture, a way of working. Our outcomes-focused scheme works in practice not just because it’s a good scheme, but because we built it together with the industry – through discussion, learning, and understanding. It’s what made us a trusted partner, known for listening, progress, and thoughtful change.
We’ve also built and finessed the support services to back up the scheme. Our helpdesk, risk assessments, monitoring database, Early Warning System, and the GMP+ Academy – all focused on making safety work in daily practice, and building feed safety cultures. These are being delivered by an organisation that is solid, transparent, with strong leadership, and is investing in its future – something not all organisations have the privilege to say. This makes us the go-to partner for feed companies wherever you are, in both existing and emerging markets.
And, we should not take this for granted. Safety is only as assured as the weakest link in the chain. There will always be new challenges and possibilities, so let’s keep our collective focus.
The future is digital
Increasingly I see our sector embracing digital solutions. There is so much innovation and talent being applied in our community to, and yet there are still huge untapped possibilities in this direction. Whether it’s blockchain, AI and machine learning, or digital audits, we can use these technologies to make feed safer and more sustainable.
If we always do what we’ve always done, and how we’ve always done it, we close the door on so many opportunities. But if we are willing to experiment, to explore what is possible, and try potential solutions in partnership then we will build new insights, gain new understanding, and be leaders. This potential, like with sustainability, is many times greater if we don’t do this in isolation from each other.
The future is sustainable
We all see the need to act. The world is asking us to act. Inaction is no longer an option, which only means the opportunity for innovation and leadership is enormous.
Instead of dwelling on what is not possible, I want us all to focus on leveraging what is achievable. Over the last decade or two we’ve witnessed tremendous advancements in the feed sector. The level of invention and development, new approaches, and new analysis shows how innovative our sector is. That is why I truly believe that sustainability in our industry is not a challenge but an opportunity. By applying this innovative mindset to sustainability, I’m confident that together we can develop practical standards that work in the real-world. We should seize the power of this innovative culture for sustainability, and if we do I know amazing things will happen.
Our approach involves continuous innovation and collaboration with our community of certified companies, Certification Bodies, and experts. Not every innovation will succeed. Like with digitisation, it will take trial and improvement, pilots, evaluating, learning, and changing. But this is not someone else’s responsibility. We need to find the solutions that will work in practice ourselves, and my earnest hope is that we do so in the same spirit that our community tackled safety; together. This collective effort ensures that our standards are effective in daily practice.
Thank you
For the many colleagues, partners, committee members, consultants, auditors, and friends who have contributed along the way, I want to convey my sincere thanks. Safety and sustainability is a team effort, and your passion, hard work, and sincere commitment has made my time in our community feel special.
I know that I leave GMP+ International in capable hands, not just our existing team, but also in my successor Martine Boon. I am delighted she is joining the organisation, and I am looking forward to seeing her lead our industry and community onwards and upwards.
As for me, my passion is to help people making a meaningful impact on the future of the planet, people, and animals. I will continue to contribute to tackling our future challenges, and wherever that leads me I am sure we will meet again somewhere, somehow.
I think we have every right to feel proud. Not just that we’ve made our mark in the world, and not just of the safety record our systems have enabled, but also of the foundations we’ve built. I see a great future for GMP+ International and our community. It’s been a privilege to be a part of.