BCS Services

Accreditations

Based on several accreditations and registrations, BCS is authorized to certify according to the following standards and regulations:

• Council Regulation (EEC) No. 2092/91
• NOP (National Organic Programme of the United States Department of Agriculture)
• JAS (Japanese Agricultural Standard of Organic Products)

Private standards of associations

Furthermore, BCS also inspects according to various standards of organic farmer associations, i.e. Naturland, Demeter, Bioland, GÄA and Biokreis.

Organic inputs

In addition, BCS offers to certify organic inputs to be used for organic cultivation according to Council Regulation (EEC) No. 2092/91.

GLOBALGAP (Good Agricultural Practice)

BCS offers a certificate for "good agricultural practice", which is increasingly required by European supermarket chains for fresh fruits, vegetables and flowers.

Starbucks

Since January 2008, BCS is approved as auditor for Starbucks C.A.F.E. Practices.

Steps to certification

You send an application to BCS, BCS sends you an offer and a contract. It is required to fill in a form describing your company, premises and organic activities. Ideally, this form should be returned to BCS before the first inspection which will be planned with the next possible inspection tour. The decision about certification will be taken after the inspection. You will receive your certificate as soon as possible after that if conformity with the norm has been approved.

With the contract you receive the standard control programmes which tell you what will be controlled. The BCS control criteria are an interpretation of the EU regulation and specify facts making the certification process more transparent for you.