It takes a village to delight consumers and keep them safe. Whether you’re:
- A manufacturer designing and producing products that help support the health and wellbeing of your consumers
- A retailer who’s committed to offering the best selection for your shoppers
- A public health organization whose mission it is to safeguard consumer health
- A certification body assessing compliance with industry standards
- Or a trade or industry association dedicated to making a positive difference within the industry
We all have one goal in mind: To make sure consumers have access to safe, quality products.
What We Do
It’s with this collaborative spirit that the Global Retailer and Manufacturing Alliance (GRMA) was formed. We’re a member-based organization that exists solely to advance global quality and safety standards together within the following Health & Wellness categories:
- Dietary supplements
- Cosmetics
- Over-the-counter drugs
We’re committed to the development of a single publicly accredited standard for each of these categories.
As an independent certification program owner (CPO), our goal is to have a single audit system that’s used by qualified certification bodies, is widely accepted and credible, and will improve GMP compliance and consistency across the retail landscape.
The end result is a standard that saves time, money, and stress while at the same time, promoting quality and consumer safety.
We do this in three main ways:
At the foundation of our certification program & the new American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standards are the core industry regulations and current Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs). These new GMP standards (NSF/ANSI 455-2, 455-3, and 455-4) were developed through ANSI’s process and include the following regulations:
- Dietary Supplement (NSF/ANSI 455-2) includes – 21 CFR 111, 21 CFR 117
- Cosmetics/Personal Care (NSF/ANSI 455-3) includes – ISO 22716, FDA Cosmetic GMP Guidance to Industry
- Over the Counter Drug (NSF/ANSI 455-4) includes – 21 CFR 210, 21 CFR 211, ICH 10
Balanced best practices that go beyond the minimum requirements safeguard public health. They increase transparency, strengthen credibility, and ensure a balance of interests.
It’s from this solid, exceptional base that we created our certification program requirements. These requirements include accreditation, audit integrity, and auditor qualifications – to name a few.
When it comes to assessing manufacturer compliance, auditors and Certification Bodies (CBs) play a critical role. We welcome CBs to apply and take part within our certification program.
Part of our program includes rigorously vetting and approving CBs to perform audits. This process can take up to a year to complete as each CB works towards accreditation
Each authorized CB must complete the qualifying, training, and calibration process.
Once the CB successfully completes the process, they are then fully approved and accredited to perform on-site GRMA certification audits for our focal categories. They will also be an ongoing participant within our audit integrity program.
Part of our commitment to creating harmonized quality and safety standards is our dedication to ongoing audit integrity. Because of this, we continually gather feedback from manufacturers and retailers.
We then partner with our member-based Technical Committee who:
- scrutinizes the certification program,
- influences/governs ongoing education and calibration initiatives,
- and continuously evaluates the audit integrity program.
In short, we’re constantly examining and improving processes to keep consistent quality and safety as the top priority throughout the industry.
Who We Are
We’re a nonprofit Certification Program Owner (CPO) that’s entirely member-based. Our members consist of retailers, manufacturers, trade associations, and certification bodies. Together, we’re committed to:
- Promoting safety, quality, and trust throughout supply chains
- Creating win-win solutions that satisfy both regulatory and retailer quality requirements
- Authorizing and approving only fully qualified certification bodies to perform certification audits
- Reducing the number of audits needed for manufacturers, thus freeing up capital and time for other priorities and initiatives
- Elevating the standards of audits and auditors so that retailers and manufacturers can trust the quality and integrity of the audit
From our Governance Board, to our Committees, to our Trusted Partners, our members are diverse. They represent unique perspectives within the industry. We believe that these differences are our greatest strength. It’s through that strength and inclusion that we continue to advance quality standards that benefit all involved.
Meet Some of Our Members
Want to Stay In The Know?
Building quality standards is an ever-evolving process. Because of that, we’re all about keeping you updated with the latest and greatest on what’s happening in the industry. We invite you to join our mailing list today!