The Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) has published Version 2.0 of its Food Safety Culture Position Paper, refining the framework that certification bodies and auditors use to assess culture on-site. For anyone holding or pursuing a GFSI-recognized certification (BRCGS, SQF, FSSC 22000, and others), this update is worth understanding.

From abstract concept to assessable framework

Earlier guidance on food safety culture was often criticized for being difficult to measure. Version 2.0 aims to make the concept easier to understand and, critically, easier to assess consistently across different auditors and certification schemes. That means less subjectivity in how “culture” gets scored during an audit.

Why this matters beyond the audit

Food safety culture is not a paperwork exercise — it is a leading indicator of whether your documented procedures actually get followed on the floor. Sites with strong, embedded culture tend to have fewer non-conformances, faster corrective actions, and better outcomes when a real food safety event occurs, not just better audit scores.

How this shows up across GFSI schemes

Because BRCGS, SQF, and other GFSI-recognized standards all reference GFSI’s culture guidance, expect this refined framework to filter into how auditors ask questions and score culture-related clauses across every major scheme — not just one certification body.

What sites should do

Review how your food safety culture program is documented and, more importantly, how it is actually lived day to day. If your evidence of culture is limited to a signed policy and a training log, it’s time to build out real evidence: leadership walk-throughs, employee feedback channels, and visible follow-through when staff raise food safety concerns.