Industry & Business

GLS Ireland is now certified in accordance with the Good Distribution Practice (GDP) guidelines for the transport of medicinal products. The parcel service provider meets the stringent requirements in terms of safe, hygienic and product-appropriate delivery.

Processes at GLS Ireland conform with the European Guidelines on Good Distribution Practice of medicinal products for human use (2013/C 343/01). The internationally renowned audit body DQS recently confirmed that the company’s parcel logistics comply with the standard, which is binding for pharmaceutical wholesalers across the EU.

“Successfully obtaining this certification enables us to add sector-specific products and services to our portfolio,” says Andreas Rickert, Managing Director of GLS Ireland. “The pharmaceutical and medicinal products industry is one of Ireland’s key growth sectors. We look forward to providing it with our high-quality transport services.”

The GDP seal covers all non-temperature-controlled transport. On request, GLS can also guarantee delivery of products provided by companies in validated thermal packaging within 24 hours. This means GLS can also deliver temperature-sensitive, passively temperature-controlled products with the appropriate packaging in accordance with GDP.

Internationally certified quality

Ahead of the certification, the parcel service provider adapted specific operating processes, trained employees and transport partners and further developed its quality assurance documentation, amongst other measures. The GLS quality and environmental management system is certified in accordance with ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 respectively on a Group-wide basis across Europe.

GLS obtained GDP certification in Germany and France last year, with GLS Denmark certified just after Ireland in October 2017. “We are therefore increasingly well positioned in terms of international shipments of medicinal products,” explains Andreas Rickert. “The expansion of the certification to other countries is planned.”