Quality assurance GMO

Handle GMO as any other quality parameter

This section lists some activities possible regarding GMO and quality assurance. The idea is to help organisations with their GMO issues and lead them to consider GMO as any other quality parameter of their quality system. ScanBi Diagnostics has a neutral attitude to GMO.

Each organisation has to consider its own GMO policy. The need to communicate this GMO policy to customers, product suppliers, authorities and the public determines the GMO quality assurance activities undertaken. A situation where communication expresses one policy but the organisation follows another may end in conflict and lost of trust, internally and externally.
 

Six major strategic activities and decisions needed to be considered by company management:

1. GMO policy. Regardless of GMO stance and strategy, the GMO policy must clearly reflect the action taken in the GMO quality plan, and vice versa. For example, a pro-GMO stance, a negative GMO stance or a semi-pro GMO stance all generate considerably different GMO policies regarding communication, product suppliers, need for analyses, etc.

2. Certificates and interpretation. If products are GMO-certified when they are bought or sold, such certification must follow the demands set by the GMO policy. This is also connected with responsibility and legality. The minimum level of demand is set by law.

3. Supplier/Customer agreements. Agreements must be constructed to follow the GMO policy and demands set so that suppliers follow the demands set by the customers. A ‘supplier agreement’ that states the conditions regarding GMO must be created in the organisation.

4. Risk assessment/quality benefits. Risks must be calculated, not guessed, and product qualities that follow the GMO policy set in the organisation must be chosen (GMO should not be interpreted as a risk, as risk in this context refers to lack of knowledge/information, whatever the parameter measured)

5. Communication/traceability. The GMO policy must be communicated to the receiver of the information in understandable language. Every step must be traceable.

6. Quality system/Analyses. GMO should be considered as any other parameter in the existing quality plan. After the GMO quality plan has been developed, analysis should be carried out only if needed at certain checkpoints and at a certain frequency.