Dr Richard Harding, a former senior civil servant at the Food Standards Agency (FSA), is to join the governing board of CMi.

Dr Harding will bring his scientific background and strong track record in developing and implementing government policy on food safety, standards and nutrition to the food assurance certification body.

Dr Harding will be the third independent member of the CMi board and will bring to it an understanding of product conformity and expert advice in the sectors covered by the business, according to CMi.

Dr Harding’s most recent post was as head of the Consumer Choice, Food Standards and Special Projects Division of the FSA. Here was responsible, among other things, for food labelling, general food law, food standards, the agency’s position on organic food and advice to Defra on cross-compliance to the extent it applies to food law.

In a previous post, Harding was responsible for implementing HACCP principles in the small food business sector.