GFSI Conference 2026: Reading the room

This year, however, the tone of the conversations suggested something more decisive, with less emphasis on reinforcing established approaches and greater focus on how those approaches must evolve to remain effective in practice.

Across client meetings, roundtables and informal discussions, a shared sentiment quickly became apparent, shaped by the growing influence of data, the increasing complexity of global supply chains, the tangible impact of climate-related disruption and a rising demand for transparency from regulators, consumers and stakeholders alike.

Authors

The perspectives in this article reflect insights from LRQA experts Ian Spaulding, Stuart Kelly, Enrico Memmo, Kimberly Coffin and Mark Morales, who were on the conference floor throughout the event, alongside leading brands, policymakers and food safety experts.

Assurance to insight

Certification continues to provide a critical foundation, offering structure, consistency and a shared benchmark across the industry, yet organisations are placing greater emphasis on what happens between audits, where risks evolve in real time.

Many businesses operate with extensive datasets; however, bringing these elements together into a coherent and actionable understanding of risk remains a persistent challenge. Director of Global Accounts at LRQA, Enrico Memmo, observed that “clients are struggling to connect audit findings, supplier data, incidents, regulatory alerts and external risk signals into a single risk narrative”, highlighting the gap between data availability and data usability.

In response, interest is growing in approaches that integrate these inputs more effectively, combining audit outputs with broader data sources to support more informed and timely decision-making; digitalisation and AI are no longer confined to pilot discussions but are increasingly positioned as practical enablers of this shift, particularly where they support predictive insight and real-time visibility. This was reflected in strong engagement at LRQA’s EiQ Product Integrity roundtable, where there was clear appetite for solutions that enable a more connected, risk-based approach to managing food safety.

Evolving the role of the audit

The structure and purpose of auditing continue to be reconsidered, particularly in environments where complexity and pace challenge the effectiveness of traditional methodologies; certification remains essential and non-negotiable as a foundation for food safety, with GFSI-recognised standards continuing to grow globally, reinforcing their role as a trusted and widely adopted benchmark across the sector.

At the same time, organisations are increasingly recognising that certification cannot operate in isolation and must be complemented by more continuous, risk-based approaches that reflect how risk evolves in real time.

As highlighted in a panel discussion, “checklists lead to an audit of the ‘curated’ version of food safety, rather than a true assessment of the effective control of risk management practices”, a reflection that resonated strongly with attendees seeking a more accurate representation of how systems perform in reality.

There is a growing appetite for audits that align more closely with operational context, placing greater emphasis on process and risk, while also recognising the importance of auditor capability; effective assessment continues to rely on professional judgement as much as system design. Kimberly Coffin, Technical Director of Supply Chain Assurance at LRQA, reinforced this, noting that food safety remains inherently human, requiring “smell, observation and culture to effectively understand and manage risk”.

A more connected view of risk

A more connected approach to risk was a dominant theme throughout the conference, extending beyond individual datasets into how information is shared, interpreted and applied across the value chain; the long-standing principle that food safety is non-competitive is gaining renewed relevance, particularly as organisations recognise that many risks cannot be managed in isolation.

Efforts to break down silos are becoming more visible, with organisations seeking stronger connections between internal systems and external partners, enabling improved visibility and more coordinated responses when issues arise; in parallel, expectations around transparency continue to increase, driven by regulatory scrutiny and consumer demand. Kimberly summarised, “it is no longer about assurance, but about proof”.

This shift extends into how risk itself is defined, with food safety increasingly considered within a broader, interconnected landscape shaped by climate pressures, supply chain disruption and evolving operating conditions. As Enrico highlighted, organisations are connecting “climate-driven risks with food safety system resilience”, reflecting a move toward more integrated thinking that brings together food safety, product integrity, ESG and wider enterprise risk considerations.

As these themes converge, the focus is turning toward how they can be managed collectively rather than in isolation. LRQA CEO Ian Spaulding emphasised the clear potential in “pulling that data together… and running more effective programmes that meet multiple purposes”, enabling organisations to respond more effectively to increasingly complex risk environments.

A changing expectation of assurance providers

Expectations of assurance providers are evolving alongside these changes, with clients looking for support that extends beyond certification into the design and operation of more effective risk management frameworks; this includes guidance on governance, data integration, supplier oversight and programme performance, as well as the tools required to bring these elements together.

Engagement at GFSI reflected strong interest in more integrated, data-driven approaches. As Mark Morales, Head of Food and Beverage at LRQA, observed, “many organisations still rely on manual and variable processes to manage supplier risk, and traditional solutions don’t always provide enough actionable insight on their own.” This is driving increased interest in more holistic approaches that can bring together data, insight and oversight in a consistent and scalable way across complex supply chains.

Similarly, the definition of value is shifting, moving away from retrospective reporting toward forward-looking insight; as Kimberly observed, conversations are increasingly centred on “how we can help brands get more value out of their audits”, reinforcing the need to connect technical expertise with practical application.

Reading the room

Views on the conference itself were varied, with many attendees placing greater emphasis on direct conversations than formal sessions; this reflects a sector working through a period of change, where established frameworks are being reassessed against current realities and where there is a clear appetite for more practical, outcome-focused approaches.

Commercial Advisor to LRQA, Stuart Kelly, offered a candid perspective, highlighting a growing gap between industry dialogue and practical application. Proof over intent was a recurring theme; while the sector has spent considerable time defining what needs to be done and how to approach it, progress in some areas remains slower than the pace of risk demands.

There are organisations moving decisively, adopting new processes and approaches that position them more strongly for the future, yet others continue to lag, despite the horizon being closer than it may appear. To put this into context, it has been seven years since the COVID-19 outbreak, an event that tested the resilience of global food systems, and the sector is now operating against a backdrop of sustained geopolitical and economic disruption.

Risk is not slowing, and expectations are not easing. The imperative for food businesses is to recognise this shift, adapt to a more complex operating reality and maintain pace through robust, defensible risk management, ensuring they are better prepared for whatever comes next, because there will always be a ‘next’.

Ian Spaulding, CEO of LRQA, reflected:

“The direction of travel is becoming increasingly clear, with trust, transparency and traceability shaping how organisations approach food safety, alongside a growing focus on how data can be used more effectively on top of audits and certification to better understand and mitigate risk; the opportunity now lies in connecting these elements, breaking down silos and building more integrated approaches that reflect the complexity of today’s operating environment.”

For LRQA, the focus remains on exactly that; supporting the food sector by combining technical expertise with innovation and digital capability to help clients navigate evolving risk with greater clarity and confidence.

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