Certification bodies choosing this service can benefit from all the quality improvement measures inherent in the IFOAM criteria but can apply it to an organic standard or regulation picked 'off the shelf'. The programme will be of interest to control bodies working to national regulations that do not want to be involved in standard setting

The GOSA programme has been developed to further propagate the application of best practice certification but to existing organic production standards with the aim of greater harmonisation of requirements at both producer and certifier level.

The scope of GOSA accreditation scope only extends to certification of categories of production and processing which are covered by the nominated organic standard.

To maintain integrity and to encourage greater harnonisation on a global level, it is the intention that applicants will use any one of the organic standards that have been adopted under the IFOAM Family of Standards. The list of private standards and government regulations adopted under the Family of Standards will be published by IFOAM in February 2011.

The process of assessment for all accreditations harmonised across all our services consists of a document review, followed by an on-site visit to the certifier premises and sample visits to certified clients. Once accredited there is on-going surveillance.

Although the accreditation is based on the IFOAM requirements for certification bodies, GOSA accredited bodies may not refer to themselves as IFOAM accredited or use the IFOAM Seal.

The IFOAM Accreditation Criteria are available from the IFOAM web site in English, Spanish or French.