GRASP stands for GlobalG.A.P. Risk Assessment on Social Practice. It's an add-on to the IFA standard that assesses how you treat your workers, covering fair employment practices, working conditions, health and safety, and workers' rights to representation.
GRASP is not yet mandatory for GlobalG.A.P. certification, but a growing number of retailers require it. Aldi, Lidl, and several other major European retailers now mandate GRASP assessments for their fresh produce suppliers. If your buyer doesn't require it yet, they likely will soon.
What GRASP Assesses
The GRASP assessment covers 13 control points grouped into several themes. Unlike the IFA standard (which has major musts and minor musts), GRASP uses a traffic-light system: fully compliant, partially compliant, or not compliant. The results are visible to your buyers through the GlobalG.A.P. database.
Workers' Voice
- Worker representative: is there an elected or appointed worker representative who can raise issues on behalf of employees?
- Complaint mechanism: is there a documented way for workers to raise concerns without fear of retaliation?
- Regular meetings: do management and worker representatives meet regularly to discuss working conditions?
Working Conditions
- Employment contracts: do all workers (including seasonal and temporary) have written contracts in a language they understand?
- Working hours: do working hours comply with national law and any applicable collective agreements? Is overtime voluntary and properly compensated?
- Wages: are wages at least equal to the legal minimum or sector collective agreement? Are they paid on time and documented?
- Pay slips: do workers receive pay slips showing hours worked, deductions, and net pay?
Child Labor and Forced Labor
- No child labor: are there procedures to verify the age of workers? Are workers under 18 excluded from hazardous work?
- No forced labor: are workers free to leave? Are identity documents not confiscated? Are recruitment fees not charged to workers?
Health, Safety, and Access
- Safe housing: if worker housing is provided, does it meet basic standards (clean water, sanitation, adequate space, weather protection)?
- Access to services: do workers have access to clean drinking water, sanitary facilities, and first aid during working hours?
What Evidence the Auditor Needs
GRASP is assessed during the same visit as your IFA audit, typically adding 1–2 hours. The auditor will want to see:
- Sample employment contracts: for permanent, seasonal, and agency workers
- Payroll records: showing wage rates, hours worked, overtime calculation
- Proof of worker representative election or appointment
- Meeting minutes: from management-worker meetings
- Complaint log: showing how issues raised were addressed
- Age verification records: especially where seasonal workers are common
- Housing conditions: if applicable, the auditor will inspect worker accommodation
The auditor will also conduct confidential worker interviews. Workers are asked (privately, without management present) about their experience: whether they feel safe, whether they know who the worker representative is, whether they receive pay slips, and whether they feel free to raise concerns.
How to Prepare for GRASP
Most farms that struggle with GRASP don't have bad working conditions. They have undocumented working conditions. The fix is usually administrative, not operational:
- Appoint a worker representative. This can be as simple as asking workers to nominate someone. Document the process
- Set up regular meetings. Quarterly is sufficient. Keep minutes (date, attendees, topics raised, actions agreed)
- Review your contracts. Make sure all workers have written agreements covering hours, wages, notice periods, and responsibilities. Translate if needed
- Document your pay process. Issue pay slips, keep payroll records, calculate overtime correctly
- Create a complaint procedure. A simple one-page document explaining how workers can raise issues. Post it where workers can see it
- Brief your workers. Tell them what the audit involves and that they may be interviewed. Don't coach answers; auditors can tell
GRASP and Your Broader Workforce Data
The workforce data you track for GRASP overlaps significantly with what your buyers ask in ESG questionnaires: headcount, working hours, training records, safety incidents, gender diversity. If you're tracking workforce data for one purpose, you're building evidence for multiple purposes simultaneously.
This is where the broader GlobalG.A.P. requirements connect to GRASP. Worker health, safety, and welfare are covered in both the IFA standard and the GRASP add-on. Preparing for both is essentially one process, not two.
Track Workforce Data, Pass GRASP
Start tracking worker hours, training, and safety data now. When GRASP becomes mandatory for your buyers, you'll be ready.
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