With bicultural French and Greek roots and based in our French office, Chryssa Dimitriadis brings extensive international experience and a strong connection to key stakeholders, including the French retail federation FCD and French retailers. Chryssa started her career at a certification body, developing solid expertise in food safety authority notifications and retailers’ laboratory analyses.

Since joining IFS 10 years ago, Chryssa has held several key positions, starting in auditor management and later taking responsibility for the IFS Food Standard. In 2022, she was appointed Director of Standard Management, where she has played a vital role in further developing the IFS Standards and Programmes to meet the needs of our stakeholders. Chryssa remains in this role, where she has demonstrated outstanding leadership in guiding international, cross-functional teams and driving continuous improvement. 

Chryssa also continues to lead the International Technical Committee, bringing together key stakeholders from major retailers, industry sectors, and certification bodies. Additionally, she serves as a technical representative in global forums, including the European Cooperation for Accreditation (EA), the Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated, and the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), where Chryssa actively participates in the Benchmarking and Harmonisation Working Group.

On the occasion of this appointment, Chryssa stated: “I’m truly honoured to take on the role of Deputy and to support Stephan Tromp in strengthening our global impact. My focus will be on driving alignment among international stakeholders, reinforcing our standards, and ensuring we continue to deliver practical, credible solutions across the entire supply chain. I look forward to working closely with our teams and partners to further advance product safety, quality, and integrity worldwide.”

Stephan Tromp added: “Chryssa brings a unique combination of technical expertise, international experience, and strong leadership. Over recent years, she has played a key role in shaping our standards and strengthening collaboration across our global network. I am confident that in this new role, she will further enhance our impact and continue to drive excellence throughout our organisation.”

We warmly congratulate Chryssa Dimitriadis on this new role and look forward to the continued positive impact of her leadership.

In his new role, Jean-Charles Gander will strengthen our commitment to excellence, transparency, and operational integrity. He will work with internal teams, business partners, and stakeholders to further develop our QA and IP, ensuring continued trust and reliability in our operations.

Jean-Charles Gander has extensive experience in quality management, risk mitigation, and strategic transformation. Throughout his career, he has held several leadership roles across the food and testing services sectors, building a strong record in regulatory compliance, fostering innovation, and leading international projects. He offers an industry and retail perspective and has a thorough understanding of auditors' roles and qualifications.

Before joining IFS, he served as Chief Quality Officer at Migros Group, where he was responsible for advancing quality strategies across one of Switzerland’s largest international retail and industry groups. In addition, Jean-Charles Gander serves as a Member of the Board of Directors of the Swiss Association for Quality and has previously contributed to our organisation as a member of the IFS Board and the Exam Working Group. 

“We are delighted to welcome Jean-Charles Gander to this vital position”, said Stephan Tromp, Managing Director of IFS. “His expertise and strategic insight will significantly shape the future direction of our organisation and strengthen our QA and IP.”

Commenting on his appointment, Jean-Charles Gander stated: “I would like to transform quality assurance challenges into strategic opportunities, leveraging my expertise to strengthen IFS’s market position and realign the department with the company’s objectives. I am eager to collaborate with a talented team of professionals dedicated to upholding the company’s core values of quality, integrity, and trust.”

• Read more about the IFS QA and Integrity Program

IFS is pleased to introduce IFS Local, a new annual standalone check designed to evaluate food safety and compliance at small-scale local producers.

Businesses, including micro-enterprises, family-owned companies, and artisanal producers, play a crucial role in the food industry. However, limited resources and simple processes can make meeting food safety requirements challenging.

“IFS Local is a strategic initiative designed to empower small-scale food producers. It offers them a structured, hands-on framework for ensuring basic good hygiene and manufacturing practices, as well as product compliance. By adopting IFS Local, producers can build greater trust with their customers and enhance their chances of securing shelf space in retail stores,” said Stephan Tromp, Managing Director of IFS.

What the IFS Local Check covers

IFS Local provides clear guidance and practical support for establishing essential foundations for safe food production, processing, and packing, while minimising administrative effort. Developed in collaboration with retailers, certification bodies, and industry experts, it ensures practical applicability and alignment with market expectations.

The IFS Local checklist is clearly structured and contains both core requirements and additional optional requirements as needed. Trained assessors verify compliance with these requirements and can provide advice on process optimisation. Assessed businesses receive a report, an action plan, and a letter of confirmation. They can make these documents easily available to their customers through the IFS Database. 

Value for small-scale food producers

IFS Local supports small-scale food producers by making it easier to identify and reduce food safety risks, comply with legal and product requirements, and implement practical, effective measures in day-to-day operations. The check helps build trust with customers and other stakeholders and can be a ticket to placing products in retail stores. This way, supply chains are strengthened, and producers, retailers and customers can buy the locally produced food products with confidence. 

Tools and resources available

To support implementation, IFS provides the following tools and resources:

• IFS Local Check Program explaining the check structure and requirements
• IFS Local Guidance Document detailing how to apply the requirements 
• IFS Database, enabling IFS Local checked companies to securely share reports and confirmation letters with business partners to increase transparency
• IFS auditXpress Neo, free software supporting self-checks reporting and identification of improvement areas, to help prepare for the IFS Local Check
• IFS Local webpage with access to documents, tools, and further information