More and more consumers are demanding
organic goods, produced under the rules of private organisations like the
German Association Naturland. One aspect of this trend is that consumers,
especially in Germany, consider social aspects important when buying organic
food.
In 2016, more than 43,000 farmers in 46
countries produced food in line with Naturland criteria. Naturland requirements
have to be followed in addition to those requested by EU-Organic. The Naturland
logo is well known in the European (especially German) market and in many cases
product prices, which can be achieved along the whole supply chain, are higher
than for EU-Organic products. Only items that are produced against Naturland
criteria are allowed to be labelled with the Naturland logo. Control Union
Certifications is allowed to audit companies against Naturland standards and in
most cases the annual EU-Organic audit can be combined with the Naturland
audit, saving costs and time. Customers requiring our support in this area must
first sign an agreement with the Naturland Association. Naturland will then
mandate us to audit your company.
Steps to Naturland
certification
1. Exchange of information
The
first step towards collaboration is the exchange of information. Naturland
provides interested producers and processors with detailed information about
the basics of the work of Naturland as well as technical and formal aspects of
certification. The interested farm/organisation is then requested to present
itself, its work and its operation.
For
this, Naturland will forward a basic questionnaire to the interested farm. The
questionnaire assists in obtaining basic data about the operation and to
evaluate previous cultivation, as well as the preconditions and prospects for
conversion towards organic agriculture.
2. Pre-evaluation visit
The
next step is a pre-evaluation visit of the farm conducted by a Naturland
representative. This pre-evaluation follows a detailed agenda. The purpose of
the visit is to get an impression of the situation on site and to discuss the
steps towards certification with all parties involved. The on-site visit of a
farm overseas can be done within a short time after signing the contract.
3. Contract
Assuming
a positive decision by the Certification Committee, a contractual part-nership
between the farm/organization and the Naturland Association can be
established. At this point, a producer contract between the farm/organization and Naturland will be effectuated.
Therein, the farm/company commits itself to com-ply with the Naturland
standards and to regular inspections.
4. Inspection
In
case an agreement for future cooperation is reached, Naturland will order an
inspection of the farm/organization by an independent and approved
inspection body. Before the inspection is scheduled, the operator has to contact
the inspection body and close an inspection contract. This usually also
includes inspection and certification according to EC-organic-regulation. The
operator may demand a cost estimate for the inspection. A thorough inventory of
the operation will be carried out, covering all aspects of farm management,
cultivation, input materials, documentation, harvest, pro-cessing, and export.
According to size and complexity of operation, inspection may take one to
several days. The inspector will give his assessment of the operation including
his recommendations to Naturland as certification body. The findings of the
inspection will be documented in writing in the inspection report. The
farm/company is given the opportunity to comment on the report.
5. Certification
The
inspection report, together with further data and information, is forwarded to
the Naturland Certification Committee. The Certification Committee decides
on the Naturland certification of the operator and on the annual renewal of
certification after each year’s annual inspection.
The
committee’s decision is communicated to the farm/company by the certification
letter. In case of violations of the standards requirements the certification
letter may also contain the conditions that have to be fulfilled in order to
continue certification.
6. Certificate and contract
After
all formalities have been successfully concluded, Naturland will issue its
contractual partner a certification letter and a certificate, confirming the
operator’s approval as Naturland certified farm/company. The farm/company
obtains together with the certificate and the certification letter the producer
contract signed by Naturland and thus becomes a member of the Naturland
Association for Organic Agriculture. From this moment on organic
transaction certificates (OTCs) may be issued for individual shipments/sales
upon application by the operator. Such certificates contain specifications of
the products, the producer and the buyer, guaranteeing third parties that this
specific merchandise is a Naturland certified product.
7. Contract with the Naturland Zeichen GmbH
The
legal basis for the use of the Naturland trademark for labeling Naturland certified
products is governed by a separate contract, the so-called sublicense contract with the Naturland
Zeichen GmbH (Naturland trademark company).
Without this contract with the Naturland Zeichen GmbH it is not possible to
label products with the Naturland trade mark or any reference to
Naturland. Users of the Naturland trademark and name pay a license fee, calculated
on the basis of the turn-over of the organic products.
How you benefit
- We
will support you throughout the certification process, safeguarding a
trouble-free procedure. We will check that you fulfil all relevant
requirements, providing you, your farmers and your partners with the
guaranteed assurances for compliance with Naturland's criteria.
- If you have any questions, please contact us.
- PCU
Deutschland GmbH (member of Control Union) is a certification body
globally undertaking certifications for companies and other organisations
in a broad range of sectors.
If you need advice on Naturland
certification, please contact us with the following information:
Ms. Van Pham
Commercial Executive - HCMC and Vietnam's southern
Address: Room No.31, Alley 487, Kim Nguu
Street, Hai Ba Trung District, Hanoi, Vietnam.
Telephone: +84 28 2226 8288
Cell Phone: +84 933 09 6426
Email: van.pham@tcivietnam.com - van.pham@iscvietnam.net
Hanoi Office: Room 1407, Building 15T2, No.18, Tam
Trinh Street, Hanoi, Vietnam
Da Nang Office: Sunrise Building - No 25, 2/9 Street, Hai Chau
District, Da Nang City, Vietnam
Ho Chi Minh Office 1: Room M003C, Phu Nhuan
Building, No.20, Hoang Minh Giam Street, Ward 9, Phu Nhuan District.
HCM Office 2: 8E (8/29) Hoang Hoa Tham Street,
Ward 7, Binh Thanh District, HCMC.
