FSSC was a proud sponsor and participant at the Consumer Goods Council of South Africa (CGCSA) Summit, held on 9 October in Modderfontein, South Africa. The theme for 2024, “Power of the Past, Force of the Future,” gave attendees the opportunity to learn from leading industry professionals, who discussed significant hurdles and advancements to stay ahead of global and local challenges in the South African FMCG sector.
With close to 700 attendees, the Summit’s highlights included CGCSA Co-chair Gareth Ackerman calling for stronger cooperation between business and government to drive SA’s economic recovery. Busisiwe Mavuso (CEO of Business Leadership South Africa) echoed this, stressing the need for urgent action on logistics, water, and energy. Other notable presentations were from Chichi Maponya (CEO, Maponya Group) and Nicole Roos (Managing Director East & Southern Africa Region at Nestle), who mentioned that the global value chain can only succeed collaboratively. One brand or organization cannot move forward alone to improve living standards (including wages, working conditions, discrimination, famine, and education/development), and it is by working together that the industry can overcome the issues of today.
Foundation FSSC was the only voluntary third-party certification Scheme that elected to participate in the Summit. Elsabe Matthee, FSSC Technical Director, was a keynote speaker on the topic “FSSC 24000: Risk to Opportunity.” She emphasized that ESG is integral to how owners run operations, serve customers, and develop people. Elsabe also spoke about the benefits of FSSC 24000 certification, which include supply chain visibility, accredited certification, recognition, and affordable certification fees.
If you are interested in attending the CGCSA Summit, you can already save the date for next year – 08 October 2025!
FSSC has a predominant position as an ISO-based Scheme owner and is well-known in South Africa for our food safety certification scheme FSSC 22000. Being at the CGCSA Summit was important to the organization to ensure we have the attention of industry-leading brands within the FMCG sector, as we strive to see that Social sustainability gains the recognition it deserves. Along with FSSC 24000, we are combining efforts with the Consumer Goods Council of South Africa to assist organizations in managing and mitigating social risks within their supply chain.Alice Palfrey (FSSC 24000 Market Development Manager)
About the CGCSA
The Consumer Goods Council of South Africa (CGCSA) is a member organization that acts as the representative body of the entire consumer goods industry in South Africa. Established in 2002, CGCSA has more than 12,000 member companies, large and small, across the consumer goods value chain, including the retail, wholesale, and manufacturing sectors. The CGCSA facilitates engagement between industry stakeholders and represents the interests of the industry to the government and other relevant parties. By lobbying key decision-makers, CGCSA shapes the legal and regulatory landscape to create a thriving FMCG ecosystem. Their goal is to empower individuals to trade better, ensuring the sustainability of businesses.
