Definition and Principles of Internal Control Systems (ICSs)
An Internal Control System (ICS) is the part of a documented quality
assurance system that allows an external certification body to delegate
the periodical inspection of individual group members to an identified
body or unit within the certified operator. This means that the third
party certification bodies only have to inspect the well-functioning of
the system, as well as to perform a few spot-check re-inspections of
individual smallholders.
The rational behind ICSs for group certification is two-fold:
1) to facilitate smallholder
certification i.e. simplify certification and reduce its cost for
smallholders through coordinated documentation and
2) to implement and maintain a high quality assurance system for organic standards in smallholder production.
Group certification enables smallholders to access organic markets and
enables developing countries to commercialize their products at the
international level. ICSs also provide a good basis for sound quality
systems to ensure organic quality and provide consumers of the North
with imported organic products at reasonable cost.
