Gütegemeinschaft Substrate für Pflanzen e.V. (GGS)
Gütegemeinschaft Substrate für Pflanzen e.V. (GGS) is one of more than 130 quality assurance associations organized under the roof of the RAL Deutsches Institut für Gütesicherung und Kennzeichnung e.V. (German Institute for Quality Assurance and Certification). The German public is familiar with RAL quality marks from many areas of modern life. RAL quality marks stand for neutrally inspected high-quality products. Our expertise is also based on more than 30 years of experience in quality assurance and approximately 60 active members. Gütegemeinschaft Substrate für Pflanzen e.V. is an association of producers and services providers that have a special awareness of quality assurance. We also work closely with scientists and people with practical business experience.
Company details
Find locations served, office locations
- Business Type:
- Professional association
- Industry Type:
- Horticulture
- Market Focus:
- Internationally (various countries)
About Us
Guidance and protection
The RAL quality mark provides guidance and helps to avoid making poor purchases that are costly. Our task is to process and monitor the implementation of the RAL Quality Assurance for bark, growing media, potting soils, growing media constituents, expanded clay for use as a growing medium, substrates for green roofs and substrates for tree planting. In other words, the award of the RAL quality mark certifies the quality of these items.
Information
One of the key duties of Gütegemeinschaft Substrate für Pflanzen e.V. is to pursue a sound information policy vis-à-vis members and consumers as regards quality assurance and the application of the products in question.
Bodies of expert members
At the core of the association’s quality work are the quality commissions of Gütegemeinschaft für Pflanzen e.V. that are organised in three divisions. These bodies are made up of independent scientists and producers’ representatives. They draw up quality criteria and methods of quality assurance and monitor the awarding of quality marks and compliance with the quality parameters. The commission members’ different backgrounds guarantee independence and close liaison between scientists, researchers, and practical producers.
Quality Criteria
RAL-certified products offer suppliers and final consumers greater reliability
Bark products, growing media, potting soils, growing media constituents, substrates for green roofs, substrates for tree planting and expanded clay granules all must satisfy certain quality criteria in order to match up to the guaranteed quality standards of RAL-certified products. For your convenience, we have summarised the quality criteria for each of these categories.
Milestones at Gütegemeinschaft Substrate für Pflanzen e.V.
To this day
Operating under the roof of Gütegemeinschaft Substrate für Pflanzen, two divisions deal with quality assurance in seven product categories. These categories cover products for applications both in commercial horticulture and the hobby segment.
1996:
Preparations for drawing up additional quality assurance commence, e.g. for growing media, substrates for green roofs and growing media constituents. The association is renamed Gütegemeinschaft Substrate für Pflanzen e.V.
1985:
RAL approves the „Rinde für Pflanzenbau“ quality mark.
1981:
The quality assurance association is founded under the name Gütegemeinschaft Rinde für Pflanzenbau e.V.
1925:
RAL is founded (under its original name Reichs-Ausschuss für Lieferbedingungen).