The GGN label brand is owned by Agraya GmbH based in Cologne, Germany. Agraya harnesses over 25 years of technical and operational expertise, with a mission to shape a future where agriculture strengthens communities, builds trust, and delivers lasting impact.

The organization is also home to the GLOBALG.A.P. brand of farm assurance solutions. GLOBALG.A.P. solutions form the foundation of the GGN label requirements and represent one of the world’s leading farm-level certification schemes, with producers in more than 135 countries.

The two brands operate under the Agraya roof with distinct but complementary roles:

• GLOBALG.A.P. works business-to-business within supply chains – setting internationally recognized standards, fostering capacity-building initiatives, and monitoring the certification process.

• The GGN label extends this assurance to the consumer – making responsible farming visible, offering consistent orientation throughout the store, and connecting you to the roots of your produce.

The GGN label stands for certified, responsible farming and transparency.

• Certified
  All products with the GGN label come from a farm which has been independently certified according to international GLOBALG.A.P. standards that aim to promote responsible farming practices in agriculture, aquaculture, and floriculture.

• Responsible
  The standards behind the GGN label cover key aspects of responsible farming, such as food safety, the environment, animal health and welfare, workers’ health, safety, and welfare, and supply chain transparency.

• Transparency
  The GGN label works with unique 13-digit identifiers and the GGN label portal (www.ggn.org) to create a transparent system that builds trust and promotes the connection between producers and consumers.

Visually, the GGN label logo is composed of three elements. The farmer is at the center of the initiative and therefore also at the center of the label. The magnifying glass symbolizes transparency, by revealing the hidden people producing the food and plants you buy. The check mark provides assurance of the farmer’s compliance with robust standards that support responsible practices.

As a cross-category label, the same GGN label appears across all product types, from cut flowers to fresh fish, boosting consumer recognition throughout the store

We believe responsible farming means practices that support the production of food and other farmed products in a manner that balances the needs of the present with the ability to meet future demands.

It is not a single topic or practice, but a way of operating that manages potential negative effects on the ecosystems and communities in which farms operate. In the context of the GGN label, responsible farming is based on the key impact areas of the GLOBALG.A.P. certification standards which form the label’s foundation:

• Food safety

• Environment

• Animal health and welfare

• Workers’ health, safety, and welfare

• Supply chain transparency

Information about how and why the impact areas are addressed – including examples from the standard documents which are publicly available in multiple languages – is available on the GLOBALG.A.P. website “Impact areas and claims” page.

GGN” stands for “GLOBALG.A.P. Number”.

This is a unique 13-digit identification number assigned to every producer or producer group registered for GLOBALG.A.P. certification – the foundation of the GGN label requirements. This identifier is used to search and validate certificates in the GLOBALG.A.P. IT platform and may appear in the supply chain on sales documents and product tags/packaging. However, not every producer with a GGN is also part of the GGN label initiative, which is why you will not find a farm profile for every GGN.

For producers who are part of the GGN label initiative, their GGNs are printed alongside the label on products. The distinction of the GGN label is the extension of assurance to cover the related supply chain which takes the product from farm to store. All supply chain businesses that were involved in the handling, packing, labeling, transporting, etc. of products with the GGN label must hold supply chain certification which safeguards the identification, segregation, and integrity of these products throughout their lifecycle.

Only when a farm/supply chain achieves certification and becomes licensed to use the GGN label is the GGN printed on the product packaging alongside the label. The GGN can then be searched in the GGN label portal (www.ggn.org) to trace products back to the farm.

Information about validating certificates which are not part of the GGN label initiative can be found on the GLOBALG.A.P. website.

Food and flower production today is no longer a simple matter of one farmer selling directly to a retailer. Whether from seed to fully-grown plant, or from roe to marinated salmon steak, a product can pass through many stages and hands before it reaches the end consumer. This makes it difficult to find out who was involved in producing it.

Consumer interest in the origins of their products is constantly growing. Many shoppers seek transparency on how and where their products were produced, but the wide variety of consumer labels for different product types can be overwhelming – even for the most conscious shopper.

That is why the GGN label was created as a cross-category label – to offer consistent, relevant assurance and orientation on a variety of products throughout the store.

• Identify products that align with your values on social and environmental responsibility and animal welfare

• Discover the roots of your products through farm and business profiles on the GGN label portal

• Support producers who farm responsibly across three different categories of products

For products to be eligible for the GGN label, each member in the supply chain must hold the relevant certification or letter of conformance.

Farm level:

• A valid certificate for the GLOBALG.A.P. Integrated Farm Assurance (IFA) standard (or a GLOBALG.A.P. equivalent benchmarked scheme) for the relevant product category, e.g., fruit and vegetables.

• A valid letter of conformance for the GLOBALG.A.P. Risk Assessment on Social Practice (GRASP).

• Aquaculture producers must additionally source their feed exclusively from manufacturers with valid GLOBALG.A.P. Compound Feed Manufacturing (CFM) certification (or certification from an equivalent benchmarked scheme/accredited feed scheme).

Supply chain:

• A valid certificate for the GLOBALG.A.P. Chain of Custody (CoC) standard at every step of the product journey from farm to shelf.

A GGN label license is also required by the legal entity responsible for applying the GGN label visual elements, e.g., label logo, GGN, claim, etc. This entity could be a producer, trader, processor, packer, retailer, or a food service company such as a restaurant chain. There is only one license holder in the supply chain for a product with the GGN label.

The GGN label is available for products across three sectors:

• Agriculture
  Fresh fruit and vegetables (loose and packed), potted fruit and vegetable plants, potted herbs, and cut/mixed/frozen fruit and vegetables.

• Aquaculture
  Farmed fish, crustaceans, molluscs, and seaweed/macroalgae (fresh, frozen, and packed).

• Floriculture
  Cut flowers, flower bouquets, flower bulbs, potted plants (non-edible), and Christmas trees.

The GGN label is only applicable to farmed products. This is because the GLOBALG.A.P. certification behind the label covers production processes that can be independently monitored and audited. This is only possible for farmed products produced in a controlled environment where requirements can be set and compliance can be verified. Products such as wild-caught fish cannot be included because there is no controlled production environment to audit.

More than 4,300 products with the GGN label are available as of 2026, spanning a wide range of fruit and vegetables, farmed seafood, flowers, and plants.
You can find labeled products in retail stores in 45 countries across six continents:

• Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, China, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Peru, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Thailand, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, Viet Nam

Note that the GGN label offers assurance for production processes under which products are farmed. Independent third-party certification bodies are responsible for certifying these production processes on the farm, and not the actual products themselves.

If you have an issue with a labeled product, we highly recommend you contact the retailer and/or the product’s brand owner directly. Alternatively, you can contact the producer by searching the GGN and finding their contact information in the farm profile.

If the issue concerns a product with a GGN but without the GGN label, please contact us.

Locate the GGN label on product packaging, and check for the GGN or CoC Number next to the label logo. Then, visit the GGN label portal at www.ggn.org and enter the 13-digit tracking code into the search bar.

A GGN Number will take you to the profile of the certified farm or producer group responsible for your product. Information in the profile typically includes farm location and size, photos, and types of products produced.

A CoC Number will take you to the profile of the trader or packer responsible for your product. Information in the profile includes the certified farms they source from so the product can still be traced back to its origins.

If you cannot find a profile, there are several potential causes:

• The license holder has not yet published their profile

• The tracking code has been printed incorrectly

• The profile is currently under review

If the farm’s certification is no longer valid or has been revoked due to a rule violation, the profile remains online with a disclaimer for a specified period of time to ensure information accessibility while the products are still in circulation.

Please contact us if you have questions, including a clear photo of the product packaging and identification number as printed.

“CoC Number” stands for “Chain of Custody Number”.

This is a unique 13-digit identification number assigned to every supply chain company registered for GLOBALG.A.P. certification – the foundation of the GGN label requirements. This identifier is used to search and validate certificates in the GLOBALG.A.P. IT platform and may appear in the supply chain on sales documents and product tags/packaging. However, not every business with a CoC Number is also part of the GGN label initiative, which is why you will not find a trader profile for every CoC.

The 13-digit CoC is used alongside the GGN label on product packaging when products are sourced from a pool of certified farms. Some products, like mixed flower bouquets or packed salads, are assembled from products sourced from several different farms. In those cases, listing every individual GGN on the packaging is not practical.

Instead, the CoC of the business in the supply chain – e.g., the trader, packer, or processor – responsible for assembling the product is used. A profile for the business can also be found in the GGN label portal, including the GGN Numbers of the farms they source from for transparency.

In the context of the GGN label, all entities who handle products after they leave the farm require GLOBALG.A.P. Chain of Custody (CoC) certification. This sets strict requirements for the segregation, traceability, and therefore integrity of a product’s certification status throughout its lifecycle – implementing management systems that reduce the risk of products from certified production processes being mixed, substituted, or diluted with products from non-certified production.

Companies who require CoC certification include:

• All B2B businesses that handle/trade products from certified production processes before packing/labeling

• All B2C businesses that handle/trade products from certified production processes after packing/labeling

• B2C businesses that sell loose labeled products (e.g., a retailer’s fresh fish counter, a restaurant selling certified fish labeled as such on a menu, etc.)

Learn more about supply chain certification on the GLOBALG.A.P. website.

GLOBALG.A.P. is one of the world’s most widely used certification schemes for the promotion of responsible farming practices, with certified producers in more than 135 countries.

GLOBALG.A.P. standards cover the agriculture, aquaculture, and floriculture sectors, and set out structured requirements that farms must meet across the core topics of food safety, environment and biodiversity, animal health and welfare, workers’ health, safety, and welfare, and supply chain traceability. These requirements are independently verified every year by a global network of accredited, third-party certification bodies. The resulting certification provides recognition for producers and assurance for buyers on the farm’s production processes.

Standards are developed through a transparent, multi-stakeholder process that features public consultation rounds and involves stakeholders from all areas of the value chain, including producers, retailers, traders, processors, brand owners, government ministries, NGOs and development organizations, consultants, and scientific experts. Standards are monitored and updated regularly to reflect current best practices.

Many GLOBALG.A.P. standards are aligned with the UN Global Compact Food and Agribusiness Principles and are internationally recognized by organizations such as the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), Global Sustainable Seafood Initiative (GSSI), Floriculture Sustainability Initiative (FSI), Sustainability Initiative Fruit and Vegetables (SIFAV), and more.

Both the GGN label and GLOBALG.A.P. brands are owned by Agraya GmbH in Cologne, Germany, with over 25 years of technical expertise and innovation in farm certification.

For in-depth information about the approach, content, and audit process of the standards behind the label, please visit the GLOBALG.A.P. website.

Three GLOBALG.A.P. standards are at the heart of the GGN label requirements.

Integrated Farm Assurance (IFA)

• IFA is a global standard that aims to promote responsible farming practices and improve farm management and efficiency at primary production level.

• It is built on a holistic approach that seeks to address the key topics of food safety, environment, workers’ health, safety, and welfare, production processes, and traceability.

• The standard can be implemented by all major types of production systems – from open field to hydroponics – and offers certification options for a variety of farm sizes, from smallholders to producer cooperatives.

• Compliance is audited annually and certificates are valid for one year – with over 185,000 producers under certification at the end of 2025.

• Learn more about the criteria and view the standard documents for fruit and vegetables, aquaculture, and flowers and ornamentals.

GLOBALG.A.P. Risk Assessment on Social Practice (GRASP)

• GRASP is an add-on to the IFA standard that aims to support the evaluation of workers’ health, safety, and welfare at farm level.

• Building on the IFA principles and criteria related to workers’ health and safety, it offers expanded assurance on four major social responsibility topics: Workers’ voice, human and labor rights information, human and labor rights indicators, and child and young workers’ protection. GRASP also covers the social and labor criteria in the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) core conventions.

• The assessment can be implemented by all major farm types and sizes, including family farms, smallholders, and producer groups.

• Compliance is assessed annually and letters of conformance are valid for one year – with over 118,000 producers assessed to the add-on at the end of 2025.

• Learn more about the criteria and view the add-on documents for GRASP.

GLOBALG.A.P. Chain of Custody (CoC)

• The CoC standard aims to establish procedures that ensure any product sold with a GGN label logo is truly sourced from a GLOBALG.A.P. certified production process.

• It allows supply chain businesses to demonstrate management systems that seek to protect the segregation, identification, and traceability of products originating from certified production.

• The standard applies to a wide range of types and sizes of supply chain companies – from packers and processors to retailers and restaurant chains.

• Compliance is audited annually and certificates are valid for one year – with over 5,800 supply chain companies under certification at the end of 2025.

• Learn more about the criteria and view the standard documents for CoC.

Agraya GmbH develops and maintains GLOBALG.A.P. standards, but it does not conduct audits or make certification decisions itself.

Audits and assessments are conducted by accredited third-party certification bodies, which are specialized organizations that must be qualified and then authorized to assess producers’ and supply chain companies’ compliance with GLOBALG.A.P. standards. These bodies operate independently of Agraya GmbH and of the producers they audit, which protects the objectivity and credibility of the process.

Certification bodies are accredited under ISO/IEC 17065, the internationally recognized standard for product certification systems. Audits typically include onsite farm inspections, document reviews, and employee interviews, with defined corrective action requirements where non-compliance is found. When an audit is successfully completed, the certification body issues the certificate or letter of conformance (depending on the standard). This is then visible in the GLOBALG.A.P. IT platform for transparency in the supply chain.

Certified farms and supply chain companies must renew their certification annually, ensuring that compliance is an ongoing requirement, not a one-time assessment.

GLOBALG.A.P. and the GGN label are overseen by the Agraya Integrity Program. Developed in 2008 as the first of its kind in food certification, the program monitors the consistent delivery and implementation of certification activities worldwide through three key areas:

• Certification body training and approval
  Ensuring the competence and quality of our network

• Certification integrity assessments
  Monitoring certification body performance and consistency

• Complaint management
  Enabling a fast and thorough response to complaints

The Integrity Program includes both targeted and random assessments of certification body head offices, on-site witness audits of farms, and unannounced audits, currently covering at least 10% of all audits annually. In a typical year, between 300–500 days of integrity assessments are conducted globally by a team of eight dedicated Agraya experts. Results form part of our integrity reporting, which is published annually and is publicly available.

When non-compliances are identified, either via integrity assessments or through our complaints processes, clearly defined procedures apply – corrective actions, sanctions, and where necessary, suspension or cancellation of certification.

Learn more about the Integrity Program.

GLOBALG.A.P. standards are based on five key impact areas:

• Food safety
  Standards aim to support food safety as a core part of responsible production processes, addressing aspects such as hazard and risk management systems, product handling and worker training, hygiene and biosecurity, verification and testing, and more.

• Environment
  Standards require the implementation of procedures that are designed to manage and minimize risks to the environment, addressing aspects such as conserving biodiversity, minimizing toxicity and nutrient pollution, promoting energy efficiency, optimizing waste management, preserving water availability, and more.

• Animal health and welfare
  Standards promote production processes that protect animal health as well as the long-term viability of aquaculture operations, addressing aspects such as a veterinarian-approved health plan, welfare risk assessments on predation, visual/acoustic disturbance, and marking, water control program, health treatment analysis, stock movement records, site management, species-specific handling training, procedures for removal, disposal, stunning, and slaughter, and more.

• Workers’ health, safety, and welfare
  Standards seek to offer accessible solutions for producers of all sizes that promote occupational health and safety, addressing aspects such as identification and minimization of workplace hazards, procedures for equipment use and emergency responses, verification and training on health and safety practices, empowerment of workers to voice concerns and promote communication, and more.

• Supply chain transparency
  Standards support the implementation and management of effective traceability systems for enabling the verification of a product’s history and lifecycle, addressing aspects such as identification, recall and withdrawal procedures, segregation and product handling, input and output verification, non-conformance and complaint procedures, subcontractor monitoring, worker training, and more.

Information about how and why the impact areas are addressed is available on the GLOBALG.A.P. website “Impact areas and claims” page.

EmpCo requires sustainability labels to be either established by public authorities or based on a recognized certification scheme with transparent, objective criteria and independent third-party verification to give consumers a clear route to the evidence behind the claim.

The GGN label meets these requirements. It is built on GLOBALG.A.P. certification, with all normative documents related to the standards openly accessible worldwide on transparent, non-discriminatory terms via the GLOBALG.A.P. document center. There are no fees or charges associated with accessing standard documents.  

GLOBALG.A.P. standards are developed through a structured, multi-stakeholder process, and compliance is audited by accredited, independent third-party certification bodies. Certificates can be validated at all times in the GLOBALG.A.P. IT platform, and all GGN label license holders have an associated profile in the GGN label portal.

The standards behind the label, the auditing process, and the independence of the certification bodies all remain unchanged. What has changed is the clarification of claim wording and the consolidation of our on-pack claims to a single option for each sector (agriculture, aquaculture, floriculture) to ensure they are as specific as the directive requires.

The European Commission has published a comprehensive EmpCo FAQ for further guidance on the directive's requirements.

For questions specific to the GGN label, please contact us.