Got questions about the GGN label or the system behind it?

Take a look at our list of frequently asked questions! Click on a question to expand the answer.

About the GGN Label and the GGN Label Portal

What is the GGN label?

The GGN label is a universal mark of certified, responsible farming and transparency. It is designed to help guide you in your day-to-day grocery shopping.

Transparency is at the heart of our label – Our label connects you to the roots of your food and plants. Our 'About GGN' webpage details how we promote responsible farming that benefits farmers, retailers, and consumers around the globe. Through our work, we support worldwide sustainable development for the good of future generations and our planet.

What does the GGN label mean?

The label confirms that the products were farmed in line with good farming practices that cover food safety, sustainability, environmental protection, animal welfare, social responsibility, and supply chain transparency. Find out how here.
ggn.org - certified, responsible farming and transparency

What do the letters GGN stand for?

GGN is short for GLOBALG.A.P. Number. GLOBALG.A.P. is the company behind the GGN label. The GGN is a 13-digit producer or producer group identification number given to every producer registered for certification. Once the production process on the farm is successfully certified, the producer can print this number on their product packaging. The number identifies where the product was produced, and retailers can use it to verify their suppliers.

In combination with the GGN label and its logo, the GGN enables us to give you the transparency you need and lets you trace your product back to its roots. And you can do that right on your mobile device while you're shopping!

What is the GGN label portal and how does it provide transparency?

The portal is at the heart of our promise of transparency. It collects the profiles of all the producers we have verified for you and whose products carry the GGN label logo. The portal also provides information on responsible farming practices and how certification works. Learn more about how the GGN label gives you transparency here.

How can I use the GGN label portal to discover the roots of the products with the GGN label logo I buy?

Provided the product has a GGN label logo, all you have to do is type the GLOBALG.A.P. Number (GGN) into the GGN search and you will learn all about the farm, its location, and the certified products* it produces.

*Please note: The term ‘certified product(s)’ refers to products originating from a farm with GLOBALG.A.P. certified production processes.


Can I see a profile of the farm on www.ggn.org if the product has a GGN printed on the package?

Only if the product also has a GGN label logo on the packaging.
The combination of the GGN with the GGN label logo confirms not only that the food and plants you buy were produced in line with responsible farming practices, but also that the integrity of the product was secured from the farm to the market shelf. This means that the product from GLOBALG.A.P. certified production processes  was not mixed with products from non-certified production processes along the entire supply chain.

 

Who can use the GGN label?

Packers, suppliers, and retailers who source their products from individual producers or producer groups with certified production processes can use the label.

Currently, the label is available to:
  • Floriculture packers and suppliers who trade in cut flowers, such as tulips and roses, as well as potted plants and Christmas trees sourced from farms with GLOBALG.A.P. certified production processes.
  • Aquaculture packers, suppliers, and retailers trading primarily in farmed salmon, trout, mussels, and shrimp sourced from farms with GLOBALG.A.P. certified production processes.

Why is there a GGN label logo on salmon but not on swordfish?

The GGN label covers only farmed products and not wild farming. So, you won’t find the label logo on swordfish, because swordfish can’t be farmed in a controlled environment. It can only be fished in the ocean. Salmon, on the other hand, can be farmed in aquaculture farms using GLOBALG.A.P. certified processes that can be regulated, controlled, and monitored, as well as checked by trained auditors and inspectors working for independent and accredited certification bodies.

About Responsible Farming Certification

How does the GGN label back up its claim of transparency and certified, responsible farming?

The GGN label is built on an internationally recognized and accredited set of good farming practices that cover food safety, sustainability, environmental protection, animal welfare, social responsibility, and supply chain traceability.

These good farming practices are defined as a set of rules and requirements in a standard: theGLOBALG.A.P. Integrated Farm Assurance (IFA). Producers must comply with these IFA requirements in order to get certified and prove that they use responsible farming practices on their farm. The IFA covers all forms of farming – agriculture, floriculture, aquaculture, and livestock farming. However, the GGN label is currently available only for floriculture and aquaculture.

What is GLOBALG.A.P. certification?

GLOBALG.A.P. is a company that develops accredited standards used to check and certify the production processes in agriculture, floriculture, aquaculture, and livestock farming. The requirements specified in the GLOBALG.A.P. Integrated Farm Assurance (IFA) standard, called control points and compliance criteria, are developed in coordination with everyone involved in the industry, including producers, retailers, government agencies, and NGOs. That’s why they reflect the current demands of the market as a whole.

The GLOBALG.A.P. IFA certification proves that the production process on the farm operates according to science-based and industry-approved responsible farming requirements.

This is a B2B certification, meaning that the certificates are checked by traders and retailers when sourcing products for consumers. The GLOBALG.A.P. IFA standard is one of the leading certification systems in the world, with over 200,000 farmers under GLOBALG.A.P. certification in more than 135 countries worldwide.
Learn more about the GLOBALG.A.P. IFA standard at IFA v6 (globalgap.org).

Who can get GLOBALG.A.P. certified?

Producers receive a GLOBALG.A.P. IFA certificate when they fulfill all the control points and compliance criteria defined in the GLOBALG.A.P. Integrated Farm Assurance (IFA) standard. The IFA covers production processes in agriculture, floriculture , aquaculture, and livestock farming.

How does the certification work?

Producers implementing the IFA standard on their farms receive a GGN and are added to the GLOBALG.A.P. database, which collects and stores the assessment and certification data of more than 200,000 farms in over 135 countries. It is one of the largest online sources of verified farm data on food safety and sustainability. The database provides instant and complete access to the registration and status data of every producer and product within the GLOBALG.A.P. system. Traders and retailers worldwide use the platform’s online certificate validation tool daily to verify their suppliers.
You can learn more about how the certification process works here.

My product has a GGN on the package. Is it certified?

No, the product itself is not certified. The GGN means that the production process on the farm that produced the product is certified. This is an important distinction. GLOBALG.A.P. certification covers the on-farm production process only and NOT the end product.

I found a GGN on the package but no GGN label logo. Is there a difference

The GGN label logo is part of the GGN label. It shows consumers that that product was produced through a production process that is certified according to responsible farming requirements. It also means that you can trace the product back to its roots, the farm where it was produced, and get information on the producer. The GGN label logo also confirms that the integrity of the product was secured from the farm to the market shelf. This means that the product from GLOBALG.A.P. certified production processes was not mixed with products from non-certified production processes along the entire supply chain.

Consumers can search the GGN found on products with the GGN label at www.ggn.org.

If the product has a GGN but no GGN label logo on the package, you can use the public search function on the GLOBALG.A.P. database to find out where the product came from. To do so, simply enter the GGN in the field “Search #1 - Identify producer via unique codes”. The results will display the name of the producer.

Please note: Not all producers with certification want to have their information publicly visible. For more information, please contact our customer support at customer_support@globalgap.org

How does the GGN label verify that the product from a certified production process is not mixed with products from non-certified production processes?

The GGN label relies on so-called Chain of Custody (CoC) certification, which enables supply chain transparency by monitoring every step of the way from the farm to the market shelf.

A product passes through many hands before it reaches you. Chain of Custody certification uses a transparent system of documentation to make sure the labeled product you buy in the market consists only of products from certified production processes.

Often, traders will buy products from several sources and package them as one product under a single brand label, such as a bouquet of flowers. To make sure that the products from certified production processes are not mixed with products from non-certified production processes as they make their way from the farm to your home, traders wanting to use the GGN label must also fulfill the requirements of the GLOBALG.A.P. Chain of Custody standard.

What is a trader?

Traders are buyers or packers that source products from various producers and either sell them to other traders or packers in bulk or package them under a specific brand name. These products are often mixed to create another product, such as a bouquet of flowers. That’s why Chain of Custody certification is so important: It ensures that products from certified production processes are not mixed with products from non-certified production processes.

What is the Chain of Custody (CoC) Number?

The CoC Number is a 13-digit trader or packer identification number. Together with the GGN label, this number lets you trace your product back to where it was packaged and confirms it was not mixed with other products from non-certified production processes.

Are the GGN and CoC Number the same thing?

No, they’re not.

The GGN is an identification number for a producer with a certified production process. It is a traceability code for the farm up to the farm gate.

The CoC Number is an identification number for a trader/packer or retailer selling products from certified production processes. It is a transparency code covering the supply chain from the farm gate to the market shelf.

Problems with the Product and/or GGN

There is a problem with my product. Can I contact the GGN label to fix it?

While our customer support is well trained to respond to all your queries, we cannot directly help you fix any problems relating to the actual product. That’s because the GGN label and logo only cover certified production processes. This means that independent third-party certification bodies are responsible for certifying production processes on the farm and NOT the actual products. Our label is not responsible for problems relating directly to the products.

To deal with a problem with the actual product, we highly recommend you do the following:

  1. Contact the retailer where you bought the product and/or the product’s brand owner and inform them directly of your issue. You can usually find their hotline and contact information online and via their social media channels. Retailers and brand owners are generally keen on keeping their customers happy and will gladly assist you with your problem.

  2. If you have no luck with option 1, try contacting the producer directly. You can find the contact information on their farm profile by searching their GGN.

If the product has a GGN but no GGN label logo, please contact our customer support at customer_support@globalgap.org

I can’t find a farm profile with the GGN on my product, or the GGN on my product does not seem to exist.

There can be several reasons for this, such as technical problems or a typo/printing mistake on the package. It can also mean that the farm has not been registered on ggn.org yet.

We can help you find out. Please use the contact form on our website to send us the following:

  1. Clear pictures of both the front and back of the packaging taken with your mobile device. You can upload them as attachments to the contact form.

  2. Exact information about the error message you received. Please select the message that was displayed form the list below:

    1. The farm or farms with this GGN are currently being reviewed.

    2. If the product you have bought is not specified in the farm profile, please contact info@ggn.org for more information.

    3. This GGN does not exist. Please check the GGN for correctness and try again. If you still experience problems, please contact info@ggn.orgfor more information.
    4. This is a valid GGN identifying a GLOBALG.A.P. certified farm but not providing a farm profile. Please contact info@ggn.org for more information.

For more information, please contactinfo@ggn.org.

I found a CoC Number but no GGN with the GGN label logo on the package. Can I still trace the farm?

Yes, you can!
The CoC Number will show you the profile of the product’s packer or trader. Some products with the GGN label logo, such as a bouquet of flowers, were created by combining certified products* from different sources. Since it’s not possible to list all the GGNs of the various sources on the package, the CoC Number of the packer is listed instead.

The CoC Number search on the GGN label portal (www.ggn.org) leads to the profile of the trader or packer, which lists all the certified production processes they source from, complete with links to each producer profile on the GGN label portal.

To find out what a trader is, please go to section 2, question 8 of the FAQs.

How can I find instructions for caring for my flowers or plants?

The best place to get information is from the retailer where you bought them. People working in floriculture retail, such as florist shops and garden centers, have plenty of good tips and advice on how to best care for your flowers and plants.

Alternatively, you can contact the producer directly. You can find the contact information on their farm profile by searching their GGN on the GGN label portal (www.ggn.org).

Why the GGN Label is Important

Why should I purchase products with the GGN label logo?

The GGN label is designed to help you make informed and conscious decisions in your day-to-day grocery shopping. Every time you buy a product carrying the GGN label logo, you are promoting responsible farming and transparency in the aquaculture and floriculture supply chain around the world.

Safe and responsible farming has a wide and sustainable positive impact – socially, environmentally, and economically. At GGN label, our goal is to spread good farming practices and transparency. We believe that by helping small-scale farmers access national and international markets, we help them grow their businesses, raise their living standards, and strengthen their communities. And most of all, we help build a more sustainable future for every generation on this planet.

What does the GGN label prove?

The GGN label confirms that:
  • An auditor or inspector from an accredited and independent certification body approved by GLOBALG.A.P. has checked the production process on the farm and found that it fulfils the requirements of the GLOBALG.A.P. IFA standard.
  • The farm was also checked to see if it complies with strict rules and regulations to protect its workers’ health, safety, and welfare.
  • Products from GLOBALG.A.P. certified production processes that leave the farm gate and reach your market are not mixed with products from non-certified production processes at any point along the supply chain.
  • The certification body has also been checked to make sure that the standard is being implemented correctly.

The GGN label is visible proof that several complex processes have been checked to reassure you, the consumer, in your day-to-day grocery shopping.

Couldn’t find what you’re looking for? Contact us using the form below and we’ll be happy to answer your questions.

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Privacy Policy

ggn.org - certified, responsible farming and transparency

Privacy Policy 

GGN Label Portal 

  1. SCOPE 

This privacy policy applies to all personal data collected or processed by GLOBALG.A.P. c/o FoodPLUS GmbH (hereinafter referred to as “FoodPLUS” or “we”) when using the GGN label portal at www.ggn.org (hereinafter referred to as the “GGN Label Portal”). This website (hereinafter referred to as the “Website”) is accessible to everyone (hereinafter referred to as the “User” or “Users”) and provides information about agricultural businesses whose processes are certified to the GLOBALG.A.P. standards (hereinafter referred to as a “Certified Company” or “Certified Companies”) and that are registered on the GGN Label Portal. 

When using any of the websites operated by FoodPLUS – e.g., www.globalgap.org or www.database.globalgap.org – the “privacy policy” by FoodPLUS linked on the respective website applies. 

In this privacy policy, we inform you inter alia about the type, scope, and purposes of the collection, processing, and use of your personal data when visiting or using our GGN Label Portal. This is performed in accordance with the provisions of the European Union General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and other applicable (federal and state) data protection legislations (hereinafter referred to jointly as “Applicable Data Protection Law”). 

No automated decision-making/profiling is performed. 

  1. DATA CONTROLLER 

Responsible as the data controller for collecting and processing your data is: 

FoodPLUS GmbH 

Spichernstr. 55 

50672 Cologne, Germany 

Email: info@globalgap.org 

Tel: +49 (0) 221-57776-0. 

 

For questions relating to the processing of your personal data and data protection, please contact our  

Data Protection Officer: 

HEC Harald Eul Consulting GmbH 

Auf der Höhe 34 

50321 Brühl 

Email: dataprivacy@globalgap.org 

  1. CATEGORIES OF DATA 

We collect and process different categories of personal data depending on how you use our GGN Label Portal. 

When you register as a Certified Company with the GGN Label Portal, we might process your username, password, first name, surname, work mobile phone, work e-mail address, work address, office phone, office fax, and company you work for. If you provide us with additional information such as a photo/avatar, we will also process this information. 

When you contact us through the contact form of the GGN Label Portal, we will process your name, email address, and message. 

Please note that FoodPLUS may receive messages that require translation. In such cases, our employees use translation tools (e.g., Google translator) to process your inquiry. Thus, please ensure that you do not enter personal data into the message field of your inquiry. 

When you contact us by phone, email, in person, or via any other business contact channel, we will collect the information you provide us. Typical data collected is first name and surname, email address, phone, and company you work for, although other types of information provided by you could be collected. 

When you visit our GGN Label Portal as a User to inform yourself about the Certified Companies and our labels, we (or the webspace provider commissioned by FoodPLUS) collect data about every access to the GGN Label Portal/the Website (known as server log files). The access data include the name of the webpage or webservice accessed, file, date and time of the access, data volume transferred, any data input, report of successful access, browser type including version, the User’s operating system, referrer URL (the page visited previously), IP address, and where relevant the username and requesting provider. This data is not merged with other data sources or other personal data about you. The IP address is stored for the duration of the session for this purpose. FoodPLUS further reserves the right to review the log data retrospectively if there are specific indications that justify a suspicion of unlawful use. 

  1. PURPOSE AND LEGAL BASIS FOR PROCESSING 

When you register as a Certified Company, we need to process your personal data to manage and maintain the business relationship, comply with our contractual obligations (that is, to provide you with the service), and comply with our legal obligations under the law. The legal basis for processing your personal data is art. 6 (1) (b) GDPR for the purpose of the performance of a user agreement. If you submit additional data based on your consent, the legal basis for processing is art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR. 

When you place an inquiry with us through the contact form or via any other of our business contact channels, we need to process your personal data to respond to your request, manage and maintain the business relationship, comply with our contractual obligations (that is, to provide you with the service), and comply with our legal obligations under the law. In this regard the legal basis for processing your personal data is art. 6 (1) (b) GDPR. If you submit additional data based on your consent, the legal basis for processing is art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR. 

If you visit our GGN Label Portal/Website as a User to inform yourself about a Certified Company, FoodPLUS uses the log data solely for statistical analyses and for the purpose of operating, securing, and optimizing the GGN Label Portal. The system needs to store the IP addresses temporarily to enable the GGN Label Portal to be delivered to you. Data is saved in server log files to safeguard the functionality of the Website. The data also helps FoodPLUS optimize the GGN Label Portal and safeguard the security of the IT systems. These purposes constitute a legitimate interest of FoodPLUS in data processing. The legal basis here is art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR. Your data for analytical purposes we process with your consent only, in accordance with art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR. You can withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future. For more information see below under “G Cookies.” 

To the extent we are required to process any of your personal data to comply with a legal obligation, we will process your personal data on the basis of art. 6 (1) (c) GDPR. 

  1. DISCLOSURE TO THIRD PARTIES AND TRANSFERRING OF DATA TO COUNTRIES OUTSIDE THE EEA/EU 

FoodPLUS will receive access to your personal data. Only relevant individuals who are acting within their job description and have a need to know will have access to your personal data. 

In certain cases, third-party providers may be given access to your personal data. We will not disclose your personal data to third parties unless you have provided your consent or another permitted circumstance applies in accordance with applicable data protection law. These third parties include, in the first instance, service providers commissioned by us who support our business operations (art. 28 GDPR). This covers, e.g., webspace or telemedia service providers for the operation and/or maintenance of the GGN Label Portal or the forwarding of invoicing or tax-relevant information to service providers for the purposes of invoicing and accounting or controlling. In these cases, however, the scope of the transferred data will extend only to the minimum data required to achieve the purposes pursued via the data processing. 

We will not share your personal data with local authorities or courts except where we are required to do so by applicable law, a court order, or a legally binding injunction. If we are legally obliged to disclose specific personal data on the basis of a judicial decision or following a request for information from law enforcement or supervisory authorities or authorized third parties in conjunction with investigatory proceedings or the suspicion of a criminal act, an unlawful act, or other acts that may give rise to legal liability for you or us, we will disclose the data required for the investigation, such as name, address, email address, or other relevant information (art. 6 (1) (c) GDPR). Similarly, we reserve the right to process and use Users’ personal data to enforce or defend against claims (art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR). 

Personal data may be transferred in this way to third parties that are domiciled in non-EEA or non-EU countries and where the EU Commission has not established a level of data protection comparable to the EU (e.g., the USA). In this case, prior to transferring we ensure, in compliance with the requirements of art. 44 et seq. GDPR, that an adequate level of data protection is in place at the recipient, in particular by conducting so-called transfer impact assessments, obtaining your consent in advance, or securing specific guarantees from the recipient, in particular the self-certification of a recipient in the US in accordance with the principles of the EU–US Privacy Framework or as well as concluding the so-called EU standard contractual clauses. A copy of suitable guarantees can be obtained on request via the email address of the Data Protection Officer set out at the top of this privacy policy. Further basic information about the participants of the EU–US Privacy Framework can be found here. Basic information about the EU standard contractual clauses can be found here, and information about the adequacy decisions is given here. 

Furthermore, even when we have concluded standard contractual clauses, we seek to establish further measures that provide an equivalent level of data protection compared to the applicable standards in the EU when personal data is forwarded to third countries (e.g., the USA, South Africa). Such further measures shall be established to accommodate CJEU decision C-311/18 (Schrems II). For further information on this topic please contact our Data Protection Officer via the email address set out at the top of this privacy policy. 

Additional information relevant to the GGN Label Portal Certified Companies: Through the GGN Label Portal, your personal data is available to colleagues at your company registered on the GGN Label Portal. Your personal data is NOT available to other registered and Certified Companies. 

  1. RETENTION PERIODS FOR PERSONAL DATA 

We will deactivate or cancel the registered Certified Company data as soon as appropriate to avoid unauthorized access to information. It is then no longer visible in the GGN Label Portal, and you will no longer receive any new communications. We will delete personal data of those registered Certified Companies after the end of statutory retention obligations if and where applicable. 

In consideration of the applicable provisions under applicable data protection law, we will delete the stored personal data about you without any action on your part if there is no longer a need for the information to be known to perform the purpose associated with the storage or if the storage of the data is not permitted for other legal reasons. In some cases, provided for by law (e.g., statutory retention obligations), your personal data may be blocked instead of deleted. 

  1. COOKIES 

We store cookies on our Users’ hard drives unless they actively block them. Cookies are small text files that permit specific information relating to the device to be stored on the User’s accessing device (PC, smartphone, etc.). Some enhance the user-friendliness of websites and thus aid the User (e.g., by storing login data); some enable the recording of statistical data about website use and the analysis to improve websites or the placement of targeted ads. You can influence how cookies are used. Most browsers have an option that limits or completely prohibits the storage of cookies. However, it should be noted that website performance, and in particular user comfort, may be restricted without cookies. For further information about the use of cookies and how you can deactivate them, see www.youronlinechoices.com.  

The processing of personal data collected using cookies for analytical and marketing purposes is done, and cookies are dropped, subject to your prior consent only. Thus, the legal basis for this processing is art. 6 (1) a) GDPR. You can withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future. The legal basis for setting cookies for the technical operation of our Website is art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR. 

Further information on which third-party providers we use in this regard can be found in the following. 

YouTube videos: Videos are shown on the GGN Label Portal via the provider YouTube. These videos are operated by YouTube, LLC, 901 Cherry Ave., San Bruno, CA 94066, USA (hereinafter referred to as “YouTube”). If a webpage containing such a button (identifiable by the YouTube icon in the lower right of the video preview) is accessed and you activate the corresponding content, your browser creates a direct connection with the YouTube servers. YouTube transmits the content of the YouTube button directly via your browser and is integrated into the respective webpage. We have no further influence over the data that YouTube collects via the button. Even though we have turned on the privacy-enhanced mode provided by YouTube to further protect your privacy, it is likely that your IP address is recorded and cookies are set, among other things. Correspondingly, we only process these personal data with your consent (art. 6 (1) GDPR). 

If you are logged on to YouTube as a member, YouTube may allocate information about the webpages accessed and YouTube content to your user account. This may also be the case if you log on to YouTube as a member at another point in time. Further information about the scope and purpose of the data collection and the further use and processing of the data by YouTube as well as your associated rights and configuration options to protect your privacy can be found in the YouTube privacy policy: https://www.youtube.com/intl/en_us/howyoutubeworks/our-commitments/protecting-user-data/#privacy-guidelines 

Google Maps: The GGN Label Portal uses Google Maps API applications. This enables us to display interactive maps directly on the GGN Label Portal and enables you to conveniently use the map function. We use Google Maps to allow Certified Companies to search their location, address and geo-position, translate geo-positions into addresses and addresses into geo-positions. You can view Google’s terms of use here: https://policies.google.com/terms?hl=en. You can find Google’s privacy policy here: https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=en. 

Google Translate API: The GGN Label Portal uses Google Translate API to allow registered Users to automatically translate free text input by other Users into their language. The free text fields can be sent to Google for translation if required by another registered Certified Company. Please ensure that you do not enter personal information into the GGN Label Portal free text fields. You can view Google’s terms of use here: https://policies.google.com/terms?hl=en. You can find Google’s privacy policy here: https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=en. 

Piwik PRO: The GGN Label Portal uses the web analysis service Piwik PRO from the provider Piwik PRO GmbH (hereinafter referred to as “Piwik PRO”) for the statistical analysis of user access. Piwik PRO may use cookies, tags, IP addresses, and what is known as fingerprinting to enable an analysis of Users’ website use. This may include the collection or processing of the following data: IP address (anonymized), user ID, date and time of the request, title or URL of the page visited, URL of the page visited previously, screen resolution, time zone, files clicked on and downloaded, links clicked to external websites, display speed of the pages, User’s geo-data (country, region, city, approximate longitude and latitude), browser language, user agent of the browser used, randomly assigned one-off user ID, time of a User’s first visit, time of a User’s previous visit, and number of a User’s visits. 

This processing is done subject to your prior consent only. Thus, the legal basis for this processing is art. 6 (1) a) GDPR. The information generated by the cookies about the use of the GGN Label Portal is stored on the servers of Piwik PRO or service providers commissioned by them in Europe. The IP address is anonymized immediately after processing and before saving. The information generated by Piwik PRO is not used to identify the User of the GGN Label Portal personally and is not merged with other personal data of the User. 

You can also prevent the installation of the cookies by making a corresponding setting in your browser software. However, FoodPLUS refers Users to the fact that in this case they may not be able to use the full functionality of this Website. For further information about this topic, see https://piwikpro.de/datenschutz/. 

Google Ads: We use Google Ads. Google Ads is an online promotional program of Google Ireland Limited (“Google”), Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland. 

Google Ads enables us to display ads in the Google search engine or on third-party websites if the user enters certain search terms into Google (keyword targeting). It is also possible to place targeted ads based on the user data Google has in its possession (e.g., location data and interests; target group targeting). We can analyze these data quantitatively, for instance by analyzing which search terms resulted in the display of our ads and how many ads led to respective clicks. For these purposes of (re-)marketing and targeting, cookies and other technologies are stored on your device. 

This processing is done, and cookies are dropped, subject to your prior consent only. Thus, the legal basis for this processing is art. 6 (1) a) GDPR. You may withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future.  

You can also prevent the use of the cookies through a corresponding setting in your browser software. The suppression of third-party cookies means that you will not receive any ads from third-party providers. 

It is possible that respective data is transferred to the US. This transfer is based on the standard contractual clauses (SCC) of the European Commission. Details can be found here: https://policies.google.com/privacy/frameworks and https://privacy.google.com/businesses/ 
controllerterms/mccs/. Furthermore, Google is certified in accordance with the “EU–US Data Privacy Framework” (DPF). This agreement between the European Union and the US is intended to ensure compliance with European data protection standards for data processing in the US. Every company certified under the DPF is obliged to comply with these data protection standards. For more information, please see https://www.dataprivacyframework.gov/s/participant-search/participant-detail?contact 
=true&id=a2zt000000001L5AAI&status=Active.  

  1. PROFILES ON SOCIAL MEDIA NETWORKS 

We maintain publicly accessible profiles on various social media platforms. The individual social media platforms we use are listed below. You can access our social media profiles from our Website by clicking on the relevant platform button. These are no social plug-ins, but simple links to our accounts registered on the respective platform. Our social media profiles are intended to present our company and our activities as widely as possible. This is a legitimate interest within the meaning of art. 6 (1) f) GDPR. The analysis initiated by the social media platforms may have different legal bases, which must be specified by the operators of the social media platforms. 

The social media platforms can generally analyze your user behavior when you visit their websites, and visiting our social media profiles triggers various data processing operations. If you are logged in to your social media account and visit our social media profiles, the operator of the social media platforms can assign this visit to your user account. However, your personal data may also be collected if you are not logged in or do not have an account with the respective social media platform. In this case, this data collection takes place, for example, via cookies that are stored on your end device or by collecting your IP address. With the help of the data collected in this way, the operators of the social media platforms can create user profiles in which your preferences and interests are stored. In this way, interest-based advertising can be displayed to you both within and outside the respective social media platform. If you have an account with the respective social media platform, the interest-based advertising can be displayed on all devices on which you are logged in or have been logged in. 

Please also note that we have no control over or insight into the full range of processing operations on the respective social media platforms. Depending on the provider, further processing operations may therefore be carried out. For details, please refer to the terms of use and data protection policies of the respective social media platforms. 

Facebook: We have a profile on Facebook. The provider of this service is Meta Platforms Ireland Ltd (“Meta”), Merrion Road, Dublin 4, Ireland. According to Meta, the data collected is also transferred to the USA and other third countries. You can adjust your advertising settings yourself in your user account on Facebook. Further details can be found in Meta’s privacy policy: https://www.facebook.com/about/privacy/. 

Instagram: We have a profile on Instagram. The provider of this service is Meta Platforms Ireland Ltd (“Meta”), Merrion Road, Dublin 4, Ireland. According to Meta, the data collected is also transferred to the USA and other third countries. You can adjust your advertising settings yourself in your user account on Instagram. Further details can be found in Meta’s privacy policy: https://privacycenter.instagram.com/policy/. 

LinkedIn: We have a profile on LinkedIn. The provider is LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company (“LinkedIn”), Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Ireland. Details on how LinkedIn handles your personal data can be found in LinkedIn’s privacy policy: https://www.linkedin.com/legal/privacy-policy.  

  1. RIGHTS OF DATA SUBJECTS 

You have the following rights: 

  • The right to request confirmation of whether personal data relating to you is being processed and details of this data and any additional information and a copy of the data (art. 15 GDPR) 

  • The right to request the completion of incomplete personal data or the rectification of incorrect personal data (art. 16 GDPR) 

  • Under art. 17 GDPR, the right to request that personal data be deleted immediately, or, if need be, under art. 18 GDPR, that the data processing be restricted (if this data is subject to statutory retention periods, we will block it for the duration of the retention period) 

  • The right to receive, or have transmitted to a third party, the relevant personal data that you have provided to us and that we process in an automated manner on the basis of your consent or in the performance of a contract. The data will be provided in a machine-readable format. If you request the direct transfer of the data to a different controller, this will only be done if it is technically feasible (art. 20 GDPR). 

  • The right to object at any time to the processing of personal data processed by us on the basis of a legitimate interest of ours (art. 6 (1) f) GDPR), pursuant to art. 21 GDPR 

  • The right to withdraw any consents granted pursuant to art. 7 (3) GDPR with future effect. This will not affect the lawfulness of any processing performed on the basis of such consent up to the withdrawal. 

We will notify any recipients to whom we have disclosed your personal data about any correction or erasure of the personal data or restriction of the processing, unless this turns out to be impossible or would involve disproportionate effort. 

You can assert the above rights against us, e.g., by notifying us by post via the contact details described above or by email to dataprivacy@globalgap.org. 

That notwithstanding, you have the right to submit a complaint to the competent supervisory authority (art. 77 GDPR).  

UNITED STATES SUPPLEMENT 

California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Montana, New Jersey, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Virginia provide (now or in the future) their state residents with rights to: 

  • Right to know. Confirm whether we process their personal information. 

  • Right to access and delete. Access and delete certain personal information. 

  • Right to correct. Correct inaccuracies in their personal information, taking into account the information’s nature and processing purpose (excluding Iowa and Utah). 

  • Right to deletion. Request the deletion of their personal information that has been collected, subject to certain exceptions. 

  • Right to data portability. Obtain their personal information in a portable, and to the extent technically feasible, easily usable format that can be transmitted to another entity. 

  • Right to opt out. Opt out of personal data processing for: 

  • Targeted advertising (excluding Iowa) 

  • Sales 

  • Profiling in furtherance of decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects (excluding Iowa and Utah) 

  • Either limit (opt out of) or require consent to process sensitive personal data 

The exact scope of these rights may vary by state. To exercise any of these rights please reach out to the Data Protection Officer at dataprivacy@globalgap.org or by calling toll-free at +1 833 879 8855.  

The California-specific supplement is below in this policy. 

CALIFORNIA 

Additional California privacy terms and rights 

The state of California enacted the California Consumer Privacy Act in 2018 and amended it in 2020 under the California Privacy Rights Act (hereinafter referred to collectively as “CCPA”). Together, the acts afford certain rights to California residents (hereinafter referred to as “Consumers”). This section specifically addresses the rights of California residents under the CCPA. 

  1. Collection categories 

As explained above in this privacy policy, we collect a variety of categories of information, including sensitive personal information, in connection with providing the services. In this section, we explain these categories again specifically in the context of the CCPA. In providing the services on the Website, we collect the following categories of personal information: the person’s name, postal/​mailing address, IP address, unique personal identifier or online identifier, email address or telephone number, and other registration data. 

  1. Information sources 

As explained above, we collect personal information from Consumers themselves directly via our Website, through interactions with our company’s personnel, and through social media, and, in some cases, from service providers. 

  1. Personal information use and sharing for business purposes 

As explained in greater detail above, we use the personal information that is collected for a wide variety of business purposes: 

  • To fulfill any contractual obligations with you related to the Website 

  • To facilitate the creation and use of accounts created on the Website 

  • To verify your identity and manage access to your accounts on the Website 

  • To facilitate your participation in our online forums 

  • For analytics purposes and to operate, maintain, and improve the Website 

  • To market the Website and gather additional information regarding the Website 

  • To create new products and services on the Website 

  • To protect against, investigate, and deter fraudulent, unauthorized, and/or illegal activity on or relating to the Website 

  • When necessary, to meet legal requirements, such as legally mandated reporting, subpoenas, court orders, or other legal process requirements 

We disclose and share your personal information for business purposes with only the following categories of third parties: 

  • Service providers, as explained above, and with our affiliated company GLOBALG.A.P. North America Inc. 

  1. Sale of personal information 

We do not engage in any sale of a Consumer’s personal information as that term is defined under the CCPA. 

  1. Sharing of personal information 

The CCPA defines “sharing” as “renting, releasing, disclosing, disseminating, making available, transferring, or otherwise communicating orally, in writing, or by electronic or other means” personal information. We share your personal information, as described above, with the companies that provide cookies and similar technologies used on our Website. Those companies have access to and might use the personal information gathered through these technologies, which personal information might include an individual Consumer’s IP address. Such uses might include targeted advertising information based on individual internet activity and interests. It is possible that some of the businesses providing marketing services to us might share personal information with their business partners. In addition, some companies that provide services to us might need to access and use customer information as part of providing services to us, and these same companies might use this information for the development of their own business capabilities, not solely for the provision of services to us. 

To notify us of your desire to restrict the use of your personal information by third parties, contact us and submit your request by emailing us at dataprivacy@globagap.org: 

DO NOT SHARE MY PERSONAL INFORMATION 

If you have any questions about submitting your request, please contact us and submit your request by emailing us at dataprivacy@globagap.org or calling toll-free at +1 833 879 8855. 

  1. Your California rights and choices 

The CCPA provides California residents with specific rights regarding their personal information. This section describes your CCPA rights and explains how to exercise those rights. 

  1. Access to specific information. 

You have the right to request that we disclose certain information to you about our collection and use of your personal information over the past 12 months. Once we receive and confirm your verifiable consumer request (see the section “Exercising consumer rights” below), we will disclose to you: 

  • The categories of personal information we collected about you 

  • The categories of sources for the personal information we collected about you 

  • Our business or commercial purpose for collecting or selling that personal information 

  • The categories of third parties with whom we share that personal information 

  • The specific pieces of personal information we collected about you 

  • If we sold or disclosed your personal information for a business purpose, two separate lists disclosing: 

  • Sales, identifying the personal information categories that each category of recipient purchased 

  • Disclosures for a business purpose, identifying the personal information categories that each category of recipient obtained 

Under the CCPA, you may also request that we disclose certain information to you about our collection and use of your personal information beyond the past 12 months. We, however, may decline to provide that information to you if doing so would require a disproportionate effort on our part. 

  1. Deletion and correction request rights 

You have the right to request that we delete or correct any of your personal information that we collected from you, subject to certain exceptions. Once we receive and confirm your verifiable consumer request (see the section “Exercising consumer rights” below), we will delete (and direct our service providers to delete) or correct your personal information from our records, unless an exception applies. 

In the absence of a verifiable consumer request from you, we will retain your personal information as described above, before automatically deleting (and directing our service providers to delete) it. 

We may deny your deletion request if retaining the information is necessary for us or our service providers to: 

  • Complete the transaction for which we collected the personal information, provide goods or services that you requested, take actions reasonably anticipated within the context of our ongoing business relationship with you, or otherwise perform our contract with you 

  • Detect security incidents; protect against malicious, deceptive, fraudulent, or illegal activity; or prosecute those responsible for such activities 

  • Debug products to identify and repair errors that impair existing intended functionality 

  • Exercise free speech, ensure the right of another Consumer to exercise their right to free speech, or exercise another right provided for by law 

  • Comply with the California Electronic Communications Privacy Act (Cal. Penal Code § 1546 et. seq.) 

  • Engage in public or peer-reviewed scientific, historical, or statistical research in the public interest that adheres to all other applicable ethics and privacy laws, when the information’s deletion may likely render impossible or seriously impair the research’s achievement, if you previously provided informed consent 

  • Enable solely internal uses that are reasonably aligned with consumer expectations based on your relationship with us 

  • Comply with a legal obligation 

  • Make other internal and lawful uses of that information that are compatible with the context in which you provided it 

  1. The right to opt out – the right to opt out of sharing of personal information 

You have the right to opt out of the sharing of your information with a third party, i.e., to prevent a transfer of information to a third party that is not restricted in certain ways from making use of the information. As we explained above, some of the companies that provide cookies and similar technologies might use personal information for targeted advertising information based on individual internet activity and interests, potentially including the sharing of information with others. You can exercise your right to opt out of the sharing of your information by emailing us at dataprivacy@globagap.org: 

DO NOT SHARE MY PERSONAL INFORMATION 

  1. Exercising consumer rights 

To exercise the rights described above, please submit a verifiable consumer request to us by one of the following methods: 

  • Calling us toll-free at +1 833 879 8855 

Only you, or a person registered with the California Secretary of State that you authorize to act on your behalf, may make a verifiable consumer request related to your personal information. You may also make a verifiable consumer request on behalf of your minor child. You may make a verifiable consumer request for access or data portability no more than twice within a 12-month period. 

To verify the identity of an individual making a request, a two-step process will need to be completed. 

A verifiable consumer request must do the following: 

  • Describe your request with sufficient detail that allows us to properly understand, evaluate, and respond to it 

  • Separately provide sufficient information that allows us to reasonably verify you are the person about whom we collected personal information or an authorized representative 

We cannot respond to your request or provide you with personal information if we cannot verify your identity or authority to make the request and confirm the personal information relates to you. 

Making a verifiable consumer request does not require you to create an account with us. Any personal information provided in a verifiable consumer request will not be used for any other purpose than to verify the requestor’s identity or authority to make the request. 

  1. Response timing and format 

We endeavor to respond to a verifiable consumer request within 45 days of its receipt. If we require more time, we will inform you of the reason and extension period in writing. 

If you have an account with us, we will deliver our written response to that account. If you do not have an account with us, we will deliver our written response by mail or electronically, at your option. 

Unless otherwise requested, any disclosures we provide will cover no more than the 12-month period preceding receipt of the verifiable consumer request. Where applicable, the response we provide will also explain the reasons we cannot comply with a request. For data portability requests, we will select a format to provide your personal information that is readily useable and should allow you to transmit the information from one entity to another entity without hindrance. 

We do not charge a fee to process or respond to your verifiable consumer request unless the request is excessive, repetitive, or manifestly unfounded. If we determine that the request warrants a fee, we will tell you why we made that decision and provide you with a cost estimate before completing your request. 

  1. Nondiscrimination 

We will not discriminate against you for exercising your CCPA rights. Unless permitted by the CCPA, we will not: 

  • Deny you goods or services 

  • Charge you different prices or rates for goods or services, including through granting discounts or other benefits, or imposing penalties 

  • Provide you with a different level of quality of goods or services 

  • Suggest that you may receive a different price or rate for goods or services or a different level of quality of goods or services 

However, we may offer you certain financial incentives permitted by the CCPA that can result in different prices, rates, or quality levels. Any CCPA-permitted financial incentive we offer will reasonably relate to your personal information’s value and contain written terms that describe the program’s material aspects. Participation in a financial incentive program requires your prior opt-in consent, which you may revoke at any time. However, we do not currently provide any financial incentives. 

  1. “Shine the Light” disclosure 

We have not shared any personal information with other companies for their direct marketing use within the immediately preceding calendar year. Accordingly, California’s “Shine the Light” law, Cal. Civil Code § 1798.83 to § 1798.84, does not apply to us, and we have not established any mechanism for you to request information on our sharing of information for third parties’ marketing purposes.  

Updates to the privacy policy 

In the course of the ongoing development of our Website, we will also continually modify our privacy policy. Your continued use of the Website following the posting of revised terms of use means that you accept and agree to the changes. Any changes will be communicated on this page in good time. For that reason, our Users should regularly view this page to find out about the current status of the privacy policy. 


 
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Terms and conditions

User Agreement

GGN Label Platform


1. General Provisions

  1. This User Agreement governs the use of the GGN label platform accessible via (among others) www.ggn.org (hereinafter referred to as “GGN label platform”) provided by FoodPLUS GmbH, Spichernstr. 55, 50672 Cologne, Germany (hereinafter referred to as “GLOBALG.A.P.”).
  2. The website www.ggn.org is accessible by everyone and provides information about ag-ricultural businesses that are certified against the GLOBALG.A.P. standards. Only com-panies that have either concluded a valid GGN aquaculture logo license agreement or that are partners within a supply chain of a licensee are certified (hereinafter referred to as “Certified Company” or “Certified Companies”).
  3. The information about Certified Companies that is available on the GGN label platform is provided in part by the respective Certified Company (see clause 2 (3) and clause 3) and in part by GLOBALG.A.P. (see clause 2 (2), as indicated on the GGN label platform.

2. Setup of a Certified Company Profile

  1. Certified Companies may create a personal profile (hereinafter referred to as “Certified Company Profile”) on the GGN label platform in order to present themselves to the pub-lic. The creation of a personal profile requires the respective Certified Company to register online via the registration form provided by GLOBALG.A.P. on the GGN label platform and to create an account. Certified Company shall complete the registration form truthful-ly and in full.
  2. The following data is automatically uploaded from GLOBALG.A.P.’s database to the Certi-fied Company Profile: GGN/CoC Number, company name, status of certification, certi-fied products, individual producer or producer group (GLOBALG.A.P.’s applicable data-base terms and conditions, https://database.globalgap.org/globalgap/TermsAndConditions.faces, apply accordingly to this data).
  3. Certified Company is required to indicate the year its farm was founded, the number of employees (in ranges), the country, and the city. It is requested to upload a minimum of two (2) images of its farm. Certified Company may additionally upload further images and specify further information, e.g., their website. It can decide whether to make its full ad-dress available or not and whether it agrees to the extended use of uploaded pictures for further purposes, such as social media.
  4. Certified Company and GLOBALG.A.P. may terminate the contract for the use of the GGN label platform at any time by notifying the other party in text form (e.g., by e-mail). Certified Company may also terminate the contract by closing its Certified Company Pro-file via the appropriate function on the GGN label platform. Certified Company should ver-ify if the termination of the contract for the use of the GGN label platform complies with the requirements set forth by its contractual partners, e.g., packers (as termination may affect the right of the contractual partner to use the GGN label logo for aquaculture).

3. Content Provided by Certified Company

  1. Certified Company is exclusively responsible for the uploaded content and information provided under clause 2 (3) above (hereinafter referred to as “User-Generated Con-tent”). GLOBALG.A.P. does not review such User-Generated Content and therefore does not assume any warranty or liability for the compliance of the User-Generated Content with the statutory provisions or third-party rights. Therefore, GLOBALG.A.P. will not be re-sponsible or liable for User-Generated Content or the accuracy of the information con-tained therein. GLOBALG.A.P. will remove User-Generated Content if it breaches the terms of this User Agreement, violates applicable law, or infringes third-party rights.
  2. Certified Company warrants to GLOBALG.A.P. that the User-Generated Content does not breach this User Agreement, violate applicable law (e.g., criminal law, competition law and the law concerning the protection of minors), or infringe the rights of third parties (e.g., name, trademark, copyright, and data protection rights). Certified Company shall there-fore ensure in particular that copyright-protected User-Generated Content is only upload-ed with the consent of the respective copyright holder(s).
  3. With regard to the warranties assumed by Certified Company under clause 3(2) above, Certified Company shall indemnify GLOBALG.A.P. against all liability and all third-party claims on first request and shall compensate GLOBALG.A.P. for any and all losses and/or costs (including court costs and lawyers’ fees at the statutory rate) arising in connection with the infringement of the respective warranty.
  4. Certified Company shall retain all of its rights regarding the User-Generated Content. GLOBALG.A.P. may use the User-Generated Content only for the purposes of this User Agreement, i.e., by making it available to the public via the GGN label platform and for the purpose of conducting marketing activities for the GGN label platform, the GGN Aquacul-ture program, and/or GLOBALG.A.P.

4. Use of GGN Label Platform

  1. Certified Company shall keep access data for its accounts secret at all times and safe-guard the access data carefully. In addition, Certified Company is obligated to inform GLOBALG.A.P. immediately if there are any indications that the access data has been misused by any third party. GLOBALG.A.P. will not disclose the Certified Company’s passwords to third parties and will never ask Certified Company for the password by e-mail or telephone.
  2. GLOBALG.A.P. will provide an annual average availability of the GGN label platform of at least 95%. This does not include times in which the GGN label platform is not available and/or is available only to a limited extent via the internet due to technical or other prob-lems for which GLOBALG.A.P. is not responsible and due to appropriate and reasonable maintenance work.
  3. GLOBALG.A.P. may limit access and availability to the GGN label platform if this is nec-essary for network operation security, maintaining network integrity, and in particular for avoiding serious disruptions to the platform, the network, the software or the data saved, the interoperability of the services, or data protection.

5. Data Privacy Protection

  1. GLOBALG.A.P. processes data only in accordance with the applicable data protection law.

6. Limitation of Liability

  1. GLOBALG.A.P. is liable for the full extent of any damage in the event of intentional con-duct or gross negligence by GLOBALG.A.P. itself or its vicarious agents. In addition, GLOBALG.A.P. is fully liable in the event that warranties are not fulfilled and other assur-ances are not complied with and in the event of culpable injury to life, body, and health.
  2. In the event of a culpable breach of essential contractual obligations, meaning principal obligations that are material to the proper execution of the contract and upon which the other party therefore relies and may rely, GLOBALG.A.P. assumes liability on the merits. GLOBALG.A.P.’s liability will in this case be limited to damage that is typical for the con-tract and that can be reasonably foreseen. In all other respects, any claims for direct or indirect damages are excluded.

7. Final Provisions

  1. This User Agreement is governed by the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany.
  2. The exclusive place of jurisdiction for all disputes with Certified Company and other users who are not consumers in terms of section 13 German Civil Code (BGB) arising in con-nection with this User Agreement is Cologne, Germany.
  3. This User Agreement sets out the entire agreement and understanding relating to the sub-jects addressed herein and supersedes all other agreements, whether verbal or written, previously made with regard to this subject matter. General terms and conditions of Certi-fied Company or other users of the GGN label platform shall not apply.
  4. If individual provisions of this User Agreement are or become invalid, or if there is an omission that needs to be rectified, this shall have no bearing on the validity of the re-mainder of the User Agreement.
  5. GLOBALG.A.P. may periodically make changes to this User Agreement and will notify Certified Company by posting a revised version on GLOBALG.A.P.’s website and e-mailing it to Certified Company’s registered e-mail addresses. The revised User Agree-ment will take effect unless Certified Company explicitly objects to the revised User Agreement within thirty (30) days following such notice.
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