When consumers ask for transparency and quality, what does that really mean? We all know the importance of understanding what is in the products we consume. But as a responsible manufacturer of nutritional foods and beverages, dietary supplements, skin care and body products, we also know that this means our consumers want us to ensure ingredients that are not supposed to be in the products are, in fact, not in the products. This is where following proper Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), conducting product testing and voluntarily pursuing third-party certification comes into play.

As consumer demand grows for products that help them improve overall wellness and immunity, so do their expectations for healthy and transparent products. Yet with so many products on the market, there is often confusing information on their safety and efficacy.

Consumer Concerns About Product Claims
Testing for label claims, ingredients and contaminants is a requirement under the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), and transparent companies committed to quality, like mine, will ensure that all of their products meet these strict requirements. Not only will our product manufacturing facilities be audited to ensure that GMPs are met, but products will also be tested for ingredient identity, potency, and purity. A strict review process also includes testing for contaminants like heavy metals and pesticides.

That said, sometimes consumers still want more than just a brand’s word on quality, which is why pursuing third-party certification in several areas can provide additional validation.

What Are Third-Party Certifications?
Third-party certification is an extra layer of security offered for consumers. While our company conducts rigorous facility auditing and product testing, there are certain areas where consumers desire extra assurance around their specific needs. To meet these requests, companies will pursue third-party certification for certain products.

Partnering with industry-respected and independent third parties to obtain gluten-free, Kosher and athletic-banned substance auditing and testing on specific products, provides extra assurance that such products are safe to consume and can properly meet the individual needs of our customers.

Why is This Important?
Think of it this way: you have a responsible, highly-recommended babysitter watching your kids for the evening. But you need a little bit more comfort that someone is overseeing everything. Enter the NannyCam. 

Providing transparency to the end-users of our products and being held accountable is the beauty of third-party certifications. Partnering with independent third parties that are accredited help ensure companies are complying with proper product health and safety standards. For example, NSF International is an American National Standards Institute (ANSI)-accredited certification body. This means ANSI is monitoring NSF’s credibility, while NSF is monitoring Herbalife Nutrition’s credibility.

Ultimately, third-party validations are one way nutrition companies can deliver on transparency and quality, to build trust with consumers and ensure products are safe, efficacious, and contain what they claim.

What Logos Should People be Aware of?
There is a term used in the nutritional and beauty products industries regarding companies that make specific claims without auditing, testing, or third-party certification: “self-certification.”

We audit our manufacturing facilities for GMPs and test our products in our own accredited labs, recognized as an international standard for demonstrating technical competency and to show that the laboratory consistently produces valid results. However, there are some instances where third-party certifications are essential for our consumers.

This is when we properly utilize respected third-party company logos on our product labels and promotional assets to help consumers understand that we are taking those additional steps. Other third-party verifications our company utilizes include:

• NSF Certified for Sport*: Certifies that the label information reflects the package content; nutrition and dietary facts are tested for conformance; product meets contaminant test criteria; clean of athletic-banned substances or masking agents; and that manufacturing facility is GMP compliant.
• Kosher Certification of Udvary: Lets consumers know that products comply with kosher food principles, including cleanliness, purity, and quality.
• Halal Certification through the Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America and Majelis Ulama Indonesia: Guarantees that products comply with Islamic law. Certification focuses on ingredients that are used in products, sanitation, and the manufacturing equipment used for production.
• Gluten Free Certification Program (GFCO): Ensures companies are following both federal regulations for the country in which the product is sold and GFCO’s stringent 80 standards, while also ensuring that every step of the certification process is performed according to international best-practices for auditing and product certification for gluten-free products.
• Low GI: Guarantees that the glycemic index (GI) value has been tested by an accredited laboratory and is accurate. Foods that carry the GI Symbol have been assessed against a range of strict nutrient criteria in line with International Dietary Guidelines, making them among the healthiest choices in their category.
• American Vegetarian Association (AVA): Involves documentation review of ingredient supplier declaration, and is recognized as the standard of vegetarian and vegan assurance.

The certifications obtained from these bodies confirm that our products are manufactured in accordance with the relative standards. Therefore, the company is able to provide for a more inclusive consumer-base, as those with restrictive or cultural-specific diets are able to enjoy the benefits of our certified products while also taking advantage of a healthy lifestyle backed by high quality products.

Health and wellness is at the forefront of everyone’s mind, and this has attracted consumers to dietary supplements. As a trusted, global leader in the nutrition and manufacturing industry, our company recognizes the responsibility it has to continue looking at consumer preferences, giving consumers confidence in the safety of products, continuing to educate them on how to identify the best products for their goals, and finding innovative ways to make them more accessible for everyone.

*Certified for Sport is a registered trademark of NSF International.

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Lisa Thomas is Senior Director of Product Marketing at Herbalife Nutrition.