The New Rules of Safe Food

Farmer holding Kiwa certified crops in his hand

21 August 2025

Food safety and sustainability now go hand in hand. With growing pressure from consumers and regulators, food companies must be transparent, responsible, and ready to earn trust. In this interview, Annelies van Oosterom, International Business Development Manager for Food, Feed, and Agriculture, and Vanja Brcan, International Business Developer for Business Sector Sustainability, discuss how Kiwa supports the sector by combining food safety expertise with forward-thinking sustainability solutions, such as Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) verification.

Annelies van Oosterom - International Business Development Manager for Food, Feed, and Agriculture

Why are sustainability and food safety increasingly seen as inseparable?

Annelies: “Sustainability and food safety can no longer be viewed in isolation; they go hand in hand. You can have the most sustainable food product, but it loses its value if it’s unsafe. As they said at the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) Conference in March earlier this year, ‘If it is not safe, it’s not food.’ That’s why verification and certification are so important. They’re not just about traditional food safety but also about sustainability. At Kiwa, we certify standards such as ISO/FSSC 22000 for food safety management and ISO 14001 for environmental management — together, they demonstrate how food safety and sustainability are deeply interconnected.

What trends are you seeing in sustainability certification?

Annelies: “We see a growing trend where food safety certification schemes are starting to include sustainability. GFSI, for example, is expanding its scope to cover these issues. A notable example is the FSSC, the Food Safety System Certification scheme, which has recently added food waste reduction to its requirements. That’s a strong signal of where the industry is heading.”

What exactly is PEF, and why is it relevant?

Vanja: “PEF stands for Product Environmental Footprint. It’s an EU method to measure a product’s environmental impact using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). It’s especially relevant in the food sector, where traceability is essential. At Kiwa, we help companies quantify their environmental impact, a process often referred to as climate accounting. PEF gives a standardized way to express that impact in numbers. The best-known result is the CO₂ footprint, but PEF also includes acidification, fossil fuel depletion, and eutrophication. Carbon is just one part of the bigger picture.”

Vanja Brcan - International Business Developer for Business Sector Sustainability

How does PEF verification work?

Vanja: “We verify or validate a company’s PEF study or report. We can also assess custom-built tools. It’s mostly done remotely, though we can include an on-site review. The process usually involves two rounds and ends with a verification or validation statement from Kiwa. Depending on complexity, it can take a few weeks to two months.”

What role do leading companies play in all this?

Vanja: “Major food companies have long led in food safety, and now they’re setting the pace in sustainability. When they lead, others follow. That’s where Kiwa comes in. We build partnerships with these frontrunners to drive broader change. Whether your company is a leader or just starting, we’re here to help. Ultimately, food safety and sustainability are one shared goal: a transparent, responsible food system.”

What value does Kiwa bring?

Annelies: “We’ve offered food safety services for years. Adding sustainability builds on that. Some customers approach us for PEF and later say, “Maybe I’ll switch to Kiwa for all services.” They liked our one-stop-shop approach. Some start with food safety and then ask about sustainability, because it’s becoming essential. We support companies that are ready to take that step.”

What advice do you have for companies exploring sustainability certifications?

Annelies: “There’s no one-size-fits-all approach. That’s why it’s essential for companies to communicate with us, so we can tailor a solution that meets their specific needs. We’ll explore the possibilities for sustainability and food safety, then work together to create the ideal package. Sustainability regulations are evolving rapidly, and we stay current with these changes and help shape their application. Through training, webinars, and active participation in councils and working groups, we support our customers every step of the way.”

Vanja: “And ultimately, this work connects directly to the consumer. People need to understand what they’re buying and how that choice impacts sustainability. Price matters, but awareness is growing that food choices have consequences.”

See how other sectors are connecting compliance and sustainability — explore more stories in Trace Magazine.