GAPC Certification Tips
Don't forget to complete your self-assessments before your audit date!  
Our weekly email containing tips, advice and reminders that will help you achieve GAPC Certification in 2018. 
This week: Post-audit Report, Remediation and Scheduling
1. Post-audit Report: How do I interpret the report?
After the Certification Audit you will be sent a report with a letter (Authorization Letter) and your responses to each question from the audit.  Below describes what the report includes:
  • The first page of the report is a letter (Authorization Letter)
  • The next three pages provide a summary of issues with non-compliance by section, question number, and whether or not it is remediable. 
  • The rest of the report is a copy of the answers recorded during your audit with checkmarks indicating compliance and "X's" indicating noncompliance. Noncompliance items also have the Remediation Method listed.
What do I do next?
Please review the answers that were recorded to ensure they are accurate. If you agree that your responses are accurate, then please sign the bottom of the Authorization Letter and return it to GAPC as soon as possible. If you disagree with any of the responses contact GAPC.
When GAPC receives the Authorization Letter we will send your official report with scores for Criticals and Additionals. If you have achieved Certification you will receive a letter and certificate with your certification status displayed. If you did not achieve Certification you will receive on any needed remediation or requirements that need to be complete prior to achieving Certification.
2. Remediation: What is it? How do I do it?
Remediation is a process of "fixing" or correcting practices that were found to be noncompliant with GAPC Certification Standards.  All remediation has to be completed within 4 weeks of receiving the results.
If you have any questions about remediation that the following paragraphs do not answer please call GAPC at 865.622.4606.
Do I need to remediate everything?
To achieve Certification a grower must achieve 100% of Criticals and 75% of Additionals.  If you have missed a Critical standard remediation is REQUIRED.  If you have missed Additional standards it depends on your score on Additional standards (remember you will not get scores until GAPC gets the authorizing letter!).  
How do I remediate?
As you review the questions you missed you will see the remediation type beside each question such as doc review, visual inspection, or visual inspection with a corrective action plan.  
Doc Review:
Remediation that involves document review can be done through GAPC.  A grower collects the needed items to remediate and sends them to GAPC via email, fax or mail. 
Email: xharmon@gapconnections.com
Fax: 865.622.4550
Mail: 2450 E. J. Chapman Drive, Knoxville, TN 37996

Visual Inspection
Remediation that involves a visual inspection needs to be scheduled with the audit firm.  A grower will need to contact the audit firm of their choice and schedule another visit for the auditor to return and verify the practice has been corrected.  Visual inspections will have a cost associated with them and a grower should ask about these costs when calling the audit firm to schedule the visit.
3. Scheduling: Auditors are calling...
The auditors are moving through areas as efficiently as possible to keep audit costs low.  It is important to check your phone, voicemails, emails, and texts during this time to make sure they can reach you.  The quicker they can reach you the more notice you will have on your scheduled date. 
Don't forget there is FREE help available to you for your human resource and labor management questions!
Human Resources and Legal Hotline for Growers
GAPC partnered with Littler Mendelson, attorneys at law, for the second year to provide growers with a comprehensive risk management hotline service carefully designed to help manage workforce employment issues and reduce exposure to employment related liability. This hotline is free to all GAPC grower members.

Growers can access the hotline by phone (866) 823-6333 or by email LittlerHRhelp@littler.com. When contacting the hotline, please be prepared to provide, your name, GAPC grower ID #, location, type of issue, phone and email (if available). 
In future emails...  
  • Appeals Process
  • Emergency and Disaster Planning
We will also be answering these questions and posting them online for easy access at: http://www.gapconnections.com/growers/faq-certification

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2450 E.J. Chapman Drive
Knoxville, TN | 37996 US
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