Based in Reitz, South Africa, Grain Field Chickens is among the pioneering organizations globally to receive certification under the FSSC 24000 Scheme for Social Management Systems.
The organization was audited by the licensed FSSC Certification Body, Aspirata Auditing Testing and Certification (Pty) Ltd (Assurecloud), which also deserves recognition for becoming the first Certification Body in Africa to certify organizations against the FSSC 24000 framework. Foundation FSSC spoke with Jaco Meyer, SHEQ Manager at Grain Field Chickens, to review their journey and success with the Social Management System.
Why did Grain Field Chicken choose FSSC 24000 certification?
At Grain Field Chickens, we pursued FSSC 24000 certification to affirm our commitment to social responsibility, ethical practices, and continuous improvement. This decision aligns with our values—being Hungry, Humble, Smart, and working as a Team—and supports our 2025 focus on Execution.
The certification strengthens our ability to drive employee engagement, foster transparency, improve working conditions, and respect human rights, while reinforcing our mission to positively impact people and communities through responsible leadership and operational excellence.
What lessons did you learn during the certification process?
The certification journey was a valuable learning experience that highlighted the importance of structured Social Management Systems, clear communication, and meaningful employee involvement. We learned that successful execution depends on aligning everyone—at all levels—around a shared purpose and clear processes.
It also emphasized that proactive risk assessments go beyond compliance; they support a healthier workplace culture. The process helped us identify areas for improvement and reminded us that social responsibility is a continuous journey driven by learning, integrity, and teamwork.
Achieving FSSC 24000 certification has brought meaningful benefits to Grain Field Chickens. Internally, it enhances our systems, strengthens our culture, and deepens employee engagement by ensuring that our people feel valued and connected to the organization’s goals.Jaco Meyer, SHEQ Manager Grain Field Chickens
How does certification benefit your organization?
Achieving FSSC 24000 certification has brought meaningful benefits to Grain Field Chickens. Internally, it enhances our systems, strengthens our culture, and deepens employee engagement by ensuring that our people feel valued and connected to the organization’s goals.
Externally, it boosts our reputation as a socially responsible business and provides a competitive advantage with stakeholders who prioritize ethical and sustainable practices. Most importantly, it enables stronger, more focused execution of our strategy—empowering us to lead with integrity and deliver lasting impact.
About Grain Field Chickens
Grain Field Chickens’ history stems from a century-old agricultural enterprise, the VKB group. VKB has been a leading name in the food-production industry since 1919 and has ventured into different entities such as grain processing, fertiliser and fuel, animal feed plants, and a wheat mill, among many others.
For Grain Field Chickens, product and service quality are non-negotiable. We believe in locally sourced products, local job creation, and creating value for the South African consumer. Our farm chickens are fed only high-quality broiler feed and raised in a controlled environment to produce fresh and healthy South African poultry products.
We uphold three good old business principles – honesty, communication, and respect. These traditional values have kept us true to our mission of being the preferred poultry brand in South Africa.
