Related Organisations
AIM – European Brands Association
Through its network of twenty national branded product manufacturers’ associations and forty-four corporate members, AIM represents the vast majority of European manufacturers of fast moving consumer goods. AIM’s mission is to create for brands an environment of fair and vigorous competition, fostering innovation and guaranteeing maximum value to consumers. AIM’s committees and working groups of senior industry executives address the following European-level issues: branding & marketing communication; consumer policy; environmental affairs; relations with the distributive trade; ECR; logistics and information systems; trademark protection; competition policy.
The Consumer Goods Forum
This forum was created by the merger of CIES, the pre-eminent food and consumer goods industry body, with the Global CEO Forum and the Global Commerce Initiative (GCI), two global retailer and manufacturer collaborative platforms.
The new association unites not only the world’s leading consumer goods retailers and manufacturers, but also many regional specialists and independents. It has a mandate from its members to develop common positions on key strategic and practical issues affecting the consumer goods industry, to focus on non-competitive collaborative process improvement and to provide a network for thought leadership and knowledge exchange.
The organisation is co-chaired by retailer Pierre-Olivier Beckers, President & CEO, Delhaize Group and by manufacturer AG Lafley, CEO, President & Chairman, Procter & Gamble.
GS1
GS1GS1’s goal is to simplify global commerce by connecting the flow of information with the flow of goods.
Global commerce is multifaceted and the complexities innumerable; however, GS1 has focused its mission at the core of the challenge. GS1 will lead the design and implementation of global standards to improve the supply and demand chain.
GS1’s main activity is the development of the GS1 System, a series of standards designed to improve supply chain management.
Much of the development is initiated by its Member Organisations (MOs). Companies wishing to use the GS1 System should apply for membership to a Member Organisation. Companies in countries where there is no MO can obtain their membership directly from GS1 Global Office. Visit our Worldwide Sites page to check whether there is a GS1 Member Organisation in your country.
GS1’s interests are represented at meetings with official bodies (such as the United Nations and the European Commission), international associations and other institutions. Member Organisations are usually national associations which provide tools and support that enable their own member companies to manage their supply chains and trade processes far more efficiently. Specifically, the main responsibilities of MOs are:
- The allocation of unique numbers – the basis for the complete range of standards
- Providing training and support for:
- BarCodes: Numbering and bar coding
- eCom – EDI (Electronic Data Interchange)
- Global Data Synchronisation Network (GDSN) – data synchronisation
- EPCglobal – RFID (Radio Frequency Identification)
- Supplying information on the standards and the continuing evolution of the GS1 System through the Global Standards Management Process (GSMP)
EuroCommerce
Established in 1993, EuroCommerce represents the retail, wholesale and international trade sectors in Europe. Its membership of over 100 includes commerce federations in 28 European countries, European and national associations representing specific commerce sectors and individual companies.
It’s mission is:
- to promote the visibility and defend the interests of commerce in the European Institutions, ensuring that they understand and take into account the concerns and realities of the sector when making decisions that will impact on its activities;
- to raise awareness among EU decision makers of the importance of commerce in the European economy;
- to improve the quality of legislation for the sector so as to reduce costs and uncertainties for businesses;
- to keep its members informed of EU developments impacting on their daily activities;
- EuroCommerce is also a recognised social partner, actively engaged in European social dialogue.
ECR Asia
“ECR Asia” is an independent joint trade and industry body, launched in 1999, to promote the use of Efficient Consumer Response techniques as a means of removing unnecessary costs from the Supply Chain and making the sector, as a whole, more responsive to consumer demand.
ECR Australasia
The introduction of ECR in Australia and New Zealand through Efficient Consumer Response Australasia, reflects a commitment to take costs out of the grocery supply chain and better satisfy consumer demands through adoption of world’s best practices.
Launched in November 1999, ECR Australasia is an informally constituted joint industry body that is supported by the Boards of the Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC), Australian Retailers Association (ARA), National Association of Retail Grocers of Australia (NARGA), New Zealand Grocery Marketers’ Association (Inc) (NZGMA), New Zealand Retail Merchants Association (NZRMA) and Foodstuffs (NZ) Ltd.
The secretariat is located within the AFGC. Member companies of all supporting organisations are eligible to participate in, provide input to, and access the outputs of ECR Australasia.
FMI Food Marketing Institute
The Food Marketing Institute (FMI) is a nonprofit association conducting programs in research, education, industry relations and public affairs on behalf of its 1,500 members including their subsidiaries – food retailers and wholesalers and their customers in the United States and around the world.
GMA Grocery Manufacturers of America
GMA is the world’s largest association of food, beverage and consumer product companies. With U.S. sales of more than $450 billion, GMA members employ more than 2.5 million workers in all 50 states. The organization applies legal, scientific and political expertise from its member companies to vital food, nutrition and public policy issues affecting the industry.
