How GMP+ International helps
In many respects, GMP+ Feed Certification is an SME-enabler; if you want to play a part in the international feed chain then certification is essential to being in business. Interestingly though - as our community is so large, international, and growing - many companies see GMP+ certification as necessary for opening up market opportunities and further development.
But while the opportunities are clear, it can still be more challenging as an SME to operate in our industry. That’s why we at GMP+ International provide a range of support services that SMEs find particularly valuable:
Feed Support Products: We make our Feed Support Products available to our whole community via the GMP+ Portal. They provide valuable information to support you in managing feed safety risks. This includes our Fact Sheets with undesirable substances (hazards) on products and processing aids, so you don’t need to invent these yourself. You can also easily submit new products for a risk assessment, which is especially popular for innovative companies who are working in the circular economy with former waste products.
Affordable e-learning: The GMP+ Academy was set up to share good practice across our industry. Many of the learning modules are online, available in different languages, and importantly they are affordable. 22 different models on ‘Prerequisites’, ‘Safe transport’, and ‘Feed Safety Culture’ are available for just €10 each, and the ‘Introduction to HACCP’ is just €20.
Find Registered Consultants: Finding consultants can be a real hassle that takes time and energy away from running a business. We wanted to make that easier with our openly available list of Registered Consultants, where you can find the consultancy with the right expertise closest to you.
Feed legislation website: The law is not always easily accessible, and especially so for smaller companies who maybe don’t have their own in-house legal teams. So www.feedlegislation.org provides information about Dutch and European Union animal feed legislation, and our newsletters keep you up to date on the most relevant changes.
Special services for Transport companies: There are several services available specifically to transport companies that assist in setting up an HACCP system, including; an interactive list of the most common risks and corresponding control measures, the IDTF tool to quickly find the cleaning regime of your loading compartments, and our registered services partners who can support you to fulfil your requirements in your daily operations.
Helpdesk: Our new FC scheme has a simple and easy-to-follow structure. - and if you can’t find an answer, you can also contact our Help desk. Everyday, SMEs use our Help desk to find their way, and you can easily submit a question, or just pick up the phone. Last year we received more than 1500 Helpdesk queries, two-thirds of which we were able to answer in less than a day.
Event attendance: Beyond our formal services, we are also a partner for our companies. So if you are holding an event or discussion that you would like GMP+ International to participate in, we will do what we can to be there, and share our expertise on feed safety and our industry.
Driving innovation
Like in many industries, our SMEs are a source of innovation and positive disruption. Their ideas and energy will be key to helping all of us address the key challenges our sector is facing; including not only safety, but also supporting services, and sustainability.
I think that should be talked about more.
So I want to put out an appeal - if you are a SME in our sector, let us help tell your story. We want to find more case studies and examples to share alongside our customer experience stories.
If you think this is right for you, then send us an email: gmpplusnews@gmpplus.org.