The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) is a global industry network focused on driving positive change across consumer industries worldwide. Founded in 2009 through the merger of CIES, the Global Commerce Initiative, and the Global CEO Forum, CGF brings together over 400 member companies from more than 70 countries, including leading retailers, manufacturers, service providers, and other stakeholders from the consumer goods industry.

A key component of CGF's work is the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), an industry-driven collaboration dedicated to advancing food safety and ensuring consumer trust worldwide. GFSI sets rigorous global standards and best practices for food safety, helping to reduce risks in the supply chain and enhance consumer protection. The annual GFSI Conference is a significant event within the industry, where experts and leaders gather to discuss the latest trends, challenges, and solutions in food safety, reinforcing CGF's commitment to industry-wide collaboration and continuous improvement.

One of the core functions of GFSI is its benchmarking process, a comprehensive and transparent procedure used to recognize food safety standards and schemes that meet GFSI’s rigorous requirements. This benchmarking process is essential in ensuring that recognized schemes are robust, credible, and capable of delivering safe food to consumers worldwide. By setting a global benchmark, GFSI enables the harmonization of food safety standards, facilitating trade and reducing the burden on food businesses that operate across different markets. Schemes that successfully undergo the GFSI benchmarking process gain industry-wide recognition, helping to drive consistent food safety practices across the global supply chain.

CGF's broader mission involves facilitating industry-wide collaboration to improve efficiency and positive outcomes for businesses and consumers alike. This includes addressing key challenges such as sustainability, consumer health and safety, supply chain standards, and workforce welfare. CGF operates through a series of initiatives and working groups, focusing on critical issues like plastic waste, deforestation, forced labor, and health and wellness. These efforts are designed to drive systemic change through collective action, standard setting, and advocacy.

CGF's strategic partnerships with other international organizations and its proactive approach to addressing global challenges make it a pivotal entity in shaping the future of retail and consumer goods. For more detailed information about the Consumer Goods Forum's initiatives, impact, and how it promotes better practices across the industry, including food safety through GFSI, please visit their official website.