WELCOME

TO NATURLAND
Naturland –
Association for Organic Agriculture

Quality management and

cooperation with inspection
bodies
Outline

Cooperation with inspection bodies

1. General provisions
2. Inspection contract
3. The confidentiality and interest declaration
4. Annual inspection mandate
5. Naturland checklists
6. Requirements for inspection bodies
7. Inspection records / contract requirements
8. Before the inspection
9. Responsibilities and summary

05/07/2022 Chart 2
1. General provisions

 Naturland does not carry out own inspections – subcontracting

of independent, state-approved inspection bodies
 No appointment of individual inspectors as subcontractors
 Cooperation with about 60 inspection bodies worldwide in
currently about 50 countries
 Defined procedures laid down in the Naturland Quality
Management Handbook (QMH)
 Responsibility for inspections is part of the Naturland
certification system

05/07/2022 Chart 3
2. Inspection contract

What is needed for signing an inspection contract?

 Conclusion of an inspection contract with each inspection

body
 Contract with inspection bodies assuring QM relevant criteria
(confidentiality, conflicts of interests, qualification, training,
internal audits, evaluation of staff)
 Inspectors sign declaration concerning confidentiality and
interests (annex 1. of inspection contract)
 List of inspectors that perform Naturland inspections
 Evaluation of inspection body (Naturland or accreditation
body of Naturland)

05/07/2022 Chart 4
3. Confidentiality and interest
declaration form

To be signed and sent

back to Naturland by
every inspector - before
her/his first inspection for
Naturland!

05/07/2022 Chart 5
4. Annual inspection mandate

What is the content of the inspection mandate?

 Each year a new mandate is sent to each inspection body.

(inspection body has to sign it! )
 Check list of Naturland operators to be inspected (Excel list)!
 Unannounced spot inspections needed (approx. 10%)
 Checklists (if so, incl. comments) in current version (annual
revision!)
 Read information letter including all important information
and annex with focal points for the inspection!
 Reference to current Naturland standards
( http://www.naturland.de/standards.html )

05/07/2022 Chart 6
4. Annual inspection mandate

Inspection mandate – cover letter

Please duly read

the cover letter esp.
the passages
concerning your
duties!
4. Annual inspection mandate

Inspection mandate – example

Type of
operator
ticked here

Relevant
standards are
ticked here
4. Annual inspection mandate

Before the inspection

Please check operator
list, focal areas,
previous certification,
number of spot checks,
all checklist in current
versions!
4. Annual inspection mandate

Overview of checklists
 With the inspection mandate, you will
receive an overview of all Naturland
checklists
 Please select the checklists which you
need during your inspection, as stated
in the inspection mandate!

You can download the relevant

checklist(s) by clicking on the link
(please use firefox, not internet
explorer!!)

05/07/2022 Chart 10
5. Naturland Checklists

General

 Cover areas that go beyond the requirements of EU-Reg

(therefore Naturland also needs EU-checklist incl. annexes)
 Producers: Checklists for respective areas (possibly incl.
comments)
 Processors: General checklist plus supplementary checklist for
respective processing areas (possibly incl. comments)
 Social Standards: Full inspection of Social Standards each year
 Fair Standards: Voluntary, supplementary certification with
separate checklist

05/07/2022 Chart 11
6. Requirements for inspection bodies

Formal

Signed Inspection contract (one-time) between Naturland and

inspection body
Declaration on interests and confidentiality by all inspectors
performing Naturland inspections (annex 1 of inspection contract)
One and the same inspector shall not be assigned to inspect the
same Naturland operator for more than 3 consecutive years!
Signed inspection mandate (annually) between Naturland and
inspection body
Check and confirmation of list of operators (Excel sheet) for
Naturland inspection (see inspection mandate!)
Annual training of inspectors by inspection body and/or Naturland
(certificate) - see annual information letter to inspection body!

05/07/2022 Chart 12
6. Requirements for inspection bodies

Training requirements

 Training of inspectors is part of Naturland‘s Quality System

 Naturland offers the following training formats:
 via the Online Training Platform http://www.naturland-training.de/
 In face-to face sessions: Annual training in Germany or local training
outside Germany
 Via telephone or skype
 Every inspector must be trained every 3 years and before performing the
first Naturland inspection
 Online training includes basic obligatory modules plus further special
modules for specific areas (e.g. aquaculture, ICS)
 After each module the inspector has to pass a short online test

05/07/2022 Chart 13
6. Requirements for inspection bodies

Training requirements (II)

 All inspectors who do not hold a valid training certificate must

complete the online training and pass the exam
 For the area of social responsibility besides the moodle training there
has to be a training on practical implementation by a Naturland trained
multiplier of the inspection body or by Naturland personnel
 For a sucessful training, inspectors and multipliers receive a training
certificate which is valid for 3 years
 Naturland offers annual updates/changes as a short summary
presentation each year on the online training platform.

05/07/2022 Chart 14
7. Inspection records / contract requirements

To remember

Attention to focal points of annual inspection (see information letter)

Accurate completion of Naturland checklists incl. all required annexes
(content, readability)
Fill out only in English, Spanish or German
Complete inspection records:
 Naturland checklists incl. annexes
 EU-inspection records incl. operator profile
 non-compliances and EU-certificate (translated in English, German
or Spanish)

05/07/2022 Chart 15
7. Inspection records / contract requirements

To remember

Check-up on Naturland non-compliances of previous year

Inspection records only in languages German, English or Spanish
Prompt transmission of inspection records (6 weeks after inspection)
incl. all relevant documents!

Inspection body/inspectors, please give immediate feedback to

Naturland in cases where Naturland inspection cannot be
performed!
Each operator with a valid Naturland contract must receive a
Naturland inspection each year!

05/07/2022 Chart 16
7. Inspection records / contract requirements

Qualification/Training of inspectors – requirements

Chart 17
7. Inspection records / contract requirements

Inspection documents - requirements

Chart 18
8. Before the inspection

Previous to a Naturland inspection the following has to be fulfilled

 Formal request for certification to Naturland by the operator

(application procedure)
 Completed Naturland questionnaire /operator profile by operator
 Naturland approval to operator to become a new Naturland
member

Inspection body/inspectors please give feedback to Naturland

before performing Naturland inspection of a new operator
that has not been officially mandated by Naturland for
inspection!

05/07/2022 Chart 19
 9. Responsibilities and summary

Quality management Inspection mandate

Christina Reifenrath Christiane Höcherl
Phone: 0049-(0)89-898082-320 Phone: 0049-(0)89-898082-360
E-Mail: c.reifenrath@naturland.de E-Mail: c.hoecherl@naturland.de

Inspection mandate
Manuel Eberhart
Phone: 0049-(0)89-898082-362
E-Mail: m.eberhart@naturland.de
05/07/2022 Chart 20
9. Responsibilities and summary

 What is the basis for the cooperation of inspection bodies with Naturland?
 What are the formal requirements for inspectors?
 What are the Naturland training requirements?
 How does the annual inspection mandate of Naturland work and what are
the tasks of inspection bodies?
 What are the most important requirements for inspection records?
 What is the structure of Naturland checklists and where can inspectors find
them?
 Which preconditions have to be fulfilled for new operators before their first
Naturland inspection?

05/07/2022 Chart 21
Thank you for your attention!