Our Quality approach
Quality assurance
Measures for internal and external quality assurance have been established with Naturland for years. Besides, Naturland is engaging in new projects like e-Cert or “ Bio-mit-Gesicht”, that enhance the trust in the reliability of Naturland’s activities and at the same time make them more transparent to producers or processors as well as consumers.
Accreditations
Naturland’s activities as a certification organisation are evaluated on a regular basis and according to stringent norms like e.g. IFOAM by internationally recognised and independent private or governmental accreditation organisations like IOAS.
Inspection and certification
Naturland operators are inspected at least once every year by independent, state-approved inspection bodies. Only after scrutiny of all inspection documentation operators may be certified by an independent decision-making committee.
Quality assurance
The consistent application of Naturland’s standards and certification requirements from the field to the finished product is the basis for the production of organic produce of a special quality which also includes aspects of nature and the environment.
Quality assurance system
Naturland pursues a quality assurance system which corresponds to international norms. The effective implementation and documentation of this system is checked annually by independent bodies.
Holistic approach
The key is a holistic approach, sustainable management, nature conservation and climate protection in actual practice, preserving and maintaining the soil, air and water, as well as consumer protection.
Qualified partners
The expertise offered to farmers, horticulturists, vintners, owners of woodlands and fish farmers has been one of Naturland’s main strengths since its inception.
Qualified specialists are also available for specific areas such as organic forest management and aquaculture.
Operation in conformity with standards
All Naturland farmers, its partners, manufacturers and processors at home and abroad have to prove each year that they are conforming to Naturland’s standards. Only then can they be certified by Naturland.
Verification of its own certification work
In return, Naturland also has its own certification system reviewed, thus providing proof that the association fulfils international requirements as a certification organisation. Recognition under globally valid standards is becoming ever more important on the increasingly internationalised organic market.
Naturland is accredited by IFOAM (International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements), the international umbrella organisation for organic agriculture. A multilateral agreement of all organisations accredited by IFOAM has existed since October, 1999. The key element of this agreement is that all organisations accredited by IFOAM recognise each other on the basis of the IFOAM standards. This makes it possible for Naturland’s producers and processors to resort quickly to products of other associations accredited by IFOAM throughout the world.
The Naturland Organic worldwide programme (pdf-file, 59 KB)
e-Cert – Software for inspection bodies and certifiers
In co-operation with the major Swiss and Austrian inspection bodies, Bio.inspecta and Austria Bio Garantie (ABG), and the software company intact, Naturland has developed software covering the whole scope of applications of inspection bodies and certifiers. The aim is to enable every stage of the inspection and certification procedure to be executed promptly and clearly and to be recorded electronically from start to finish.
The results of inspection tours of farmers and processors are recorded digitally. Upon conclusion of the certification procedure, the clients can download their own certificates from the internet. The e-Cert system makes the inspection procedure five times faster than before. Any measures needing to be taken in cases of non-compliance can be applied quickly at any stage. Quality assurance becomes more efficient, which is a great step towards enhancing acceptance at every level.
For more on e-Cert
"Bio mit Gesicht“ ("organic with face")
Naturland Association, along with Naturland‘s marketing organisation, FiBL Research Institute of Organic Agriculture and the trading firm „tegut...“ are offering buyers of organic produce a new service. By means of a reliable tracing system, the customer can refer to the internet to find out where, by whom and how the organic product he or she has purchased was cultivated and processed.
This is how “Bio mit Gesicht“ works: each article purchased bears a number. This enables the customer to “visit“ the producer on the internet, where he or she is presented under Bio mit Gesicht (www.bio-mit-gesicht.de): Where is the farm/manufacturer? Who works there? What standards do they have to comply with? What else is there of interest? In addition the site offers information on organic agriculture, tips on the products, tasty recipes and many more items.
For example: potatoes from the Foerster farm
A consumer buys organic potatoes identified under the „Bio mit Gesicht“ scheme – and makes the acquaintance of the Foerster family on their farm in Oberhof. In the description of the farm, he learns that it is managed in compliance with Naturland’s standards and why the Foersters converted to organic agriculture. Other items of interest are that the farm has its own small „eco centre“, presses the fruit from its own orchard, operates as an organic wine wholesaler and sells organic building material. Should he wish to learn more about the products or the farm, he can always send a mail to or even telephone the Foersters.
Accreditation
Naturland is one of the major global certification organisations for organic agricultural produce. Just as Naturland’s farmers and processors are subject to annual inspection, Naturland too is inspected once a year by neutral, qualified organisations, thereby proving that Naturland’s certification system fulfils the most stringent internationally recognised standards.
Naturland is accredited by IFOAM (International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements).
IFOAM Accreditation
Naturland was the first German certification organisation for organic agriculture to be evaluated by IFOAM (International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements) under their accreditation programme, in 1997, thus qualifying for accreditation by this international umbrella organisation of organic agriculture. Its programme defines the minimum requirements for the services offered by any certification organisation – valid the world over and of a uniformly high standard.
The basis for qualification are the IFOAM Norms.
Recognition by IFOAM is internationally accepted proof to the producer, the processor and consumer of the high standard of Naturland’s quality assurance system and a testimonial to the reliability of Naturland’s certification of organic agricultural produce, from the farm to the final product.
As part of accreditation by IFOAM, Naturland is regularly inspected by the IOAS (International Organic Accreditation Services), a renowned independent organisation. Being a neutral body, the IOAS is appointed by IFOAM to implement its accreditation programme.
Clarity and openness are the bases of this system. During annual assessment, Naturland discloses its certification work and grants IOAS access to all its records.
IFOAM certificate (pdf-file, 271 KB)
Recognition by CARTV/Quebec
Since April, 2004, Naturland has received recognition by CARTV (Conseil des appellations réservées et des termes valorisants) of the Canadian province of Quebec. This means that aquaculture products certified by Naturland can be imported into Quebec and sold as organic without having to submit further proof of quality.
CARTV certificate of recognition (pdf-file, 414 KB)
Inspection and certification
Naturland’s members and partners undertake to comply with the standards of Naturland - Verband für ökologischen Landbau e.V., the Naturland Association.
Regular inspection
Naturland mandates inspection bodies to perform regular inspections of farmers and processors at least once every year. In addition to the annual tours of inspection, unannounced spot checks are also made. Inspection is performed by external, expert, state-approved inspection bodies. Naturland co-operates primarily with the following respected inspection bodies:
- BCS-Öko-Garantie GmbH
- IMO Institute of Marketecologie
- Lacon GmbH and
- Ökop-Zertifizierungsgesellschaft mbH
Naturland provides inspection bodies with inspection documents and develops specific guidelines for complex areas like inspection of grower groups or the Naturland standards on social responsibility:
Inspection of grower groups (pdf-file, 170 KB)
Recommendations for Inspections of Social Standards (pdf-file, 1,1 MB)
The inspection results are recorded in writing.
Naturland’s certification committee
Certification and thus the decision as to whether a farmer or enterprise is entitled to sell his or its products with a reference to production in conformity with Naturland’s standards is the responsibility of Naturland’s certification committee. The certification committee comprises up to 20 members from various professions, such as the sciences and research, production, processing and consumer protection. The intention is to have various professional and social spheres represented, besides the requisite experts in the field of organic agriculture and processing. In this way, all important interest groups participate in Naturland’s decisions on certification.
Certification and recognition
The basis for the decision of the certification committee is the results determined by and facts presented in the inspection report. In cases of non-conformity with the standards, any of a list of penalties ranging from a warning to withdrawal of the right to use the logo and disqualification of the farm may be imposed.
Every year the farms receive a new notice of certification and a certificate from Naturland’s certification committee. These confirm that the farm is managed in conformity with Naturland’s standards.
Processing enterprises which process raw goods certified by Naturland and require their suppliers to produce corresponding proof of Naturland quality may receive corresponding confirmation that they do so from Naturland, on request.
