Members of a Benchmark Committee shall act in a professional, ethical and impartial manner at all times and shall not use any information obtained to commercially promote their own or their organisation’s interests. The selection of members of a Benchmark Committee shall ensure that there is no conflict of interest in relation to an individual, organisation or association. However, in the event that there could be a change in the status of this non conflict of interest, the Benchmark Committee member must make the GFSI Executive Director aware of the circumstances and the GFSI Executive Director will take any action necessary to resolve issues that may arise.

If a vote is necessary to decide upon the recommendation to the GFSI Board, only voting members of the Committee will be allowed to vote. The GFSI Benchmark Committee Leader will ensure all members vote on the recommendation to the GFSI Board. For the purposes of re-benchmarking or extension to scope, the GFSI Benchmark Committee Leader shall have the casting vote if an equal number of recognition and non-recognition votes are given by Committee members.

All information provided by a scheme owner shall be regarded as being confidential and the GFSI Benchmark

Committee Leader and members of a Benchmark Committee will honour this agreement. At the time of their registration and acceptance of an invitation to become a member of a Benchmark Committee any GFSI

Benchmark Committee Leader or Reviewer shall sign a declaration of confidentiality and impartiality.

All information in relation to the benchmarking process shall be regarded as confidential and shall be securely retained by the GFSI Executive Director.

In the event that members are asked to leave a Benchmark Committee during the benchmarking programme, the GFSI Executive Director and GFSI Benchmark Committee Leader shall invite a new member onto the Committee and the GFSI Benchmark Committee Leader shall ensure that the new member is made fully aware of information appertaining to the benchmarking process.

If the GFSI Benchmark Committee Leader leaves or is asked to leave a Benchmark Committee during the benchmarking programme, the GFSI Executive Director will take immediate steps to appoint a new GFSI Benchmark Committee Leader.

The GFSI Executive Director shall have the discretion to remove and replace a member of a Benchmark Committee at any time, if it is deemed necessary to do so. It is also at the discretion of the GFSI Executive Director to remove an individual from the Register of Benchmark Committee Members.

The GFSI Executive Director has the responsibility to investigate any malpractice or alleged malpractice, which may have arisen during the benchmarking process and take appropriate action.

The GFSI Board has the authority to dismiss or withdraw registration of any GFSI Benchmark Committee Leader or Reviewer at any time.