Retailers, manufacturers and foodservice companies have joined forces with the appointment of a new board of directors for the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI).

JP Suarez, senior vice-president and general counsel of the international division, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc, has been elected to serve as the new GFSI chairman for a one-year term of office. Suarez replaces Roland Vaxelaire, director of risk, responsibility and quality at the Carrefour Group.

Yves Rey, corporate quality general manager, Danone Group and Cindy Jiang, director of worldwide quality, food safety and nutrition at the McDonald's Corporation, US have been elected to serve as vice-chairs for a two-year term of office.

Through a recent strategic alliance with the foodservice sector and closer collaboration with food manufacturers, the GFSI has been greatly strengthened and this new governance structure reflects the importance and balance of these supply chain partners in the work of GFSI.

Suarez said: “By creating the position of vice-chair to support the role of the GFSI chairman, we will ensure that the key partners in the supply chain are equally represented in the decision-making process of the GFSI board of directors, in their drive for further harmonisation of best food safety practice and use of common food safety standards worldwide.”

GFSI continues to grow in importance in the world of food safety internationally, with the alignment in 2007 of four major food safety management schemes with its Guidance Document (BRC, Dutch HACCP, IFS and SQF) and the common acceptance of these standards by eight major international retailers - Carrefour, Delhaize, Metro, Migros, Royal Ahold, ICA, Tesco and Wal-Mart.

The GFSI, managed by CIES - The Food Business Forum, was set up in 2000 to pursue continuous improvement in food safety management systems, cost efficiency in the supply chain and, above all, safe food for consumers worldwide.