4 Questions to Natalie McLachlan: FLOCERT’s employees are its biggest strength

Having joined FLOCERT in September 2024 as Head of Legal, Natalie McLachlan took on the newly established role of Chief People and Governance Officer (CPGO) in December 2025. In this position, she complements our Chief Executive Officer, Thorsten Niklas, and our new Chief Growth Officer in the senior management team.

Natalie, you are FLOCERT's new Chief People and Governance Officer. Let's talk about the "People" part first. Why does FLOCERT, as a certification body, need a "people" officer?

NM: I think not only FLOCERT but every company needs the "People" part represented in management. After all, it's the people who run the company. A company's success depends heavily on the people who work for it, and this is particularly true for a certification body. We don't sell physical products, we excel because our people excel! This translates into tangible outcomes for our customers, in the form of high-quality services and decisions. In a nutshell, we need to ensure that we provide the environment where everyone at FLOCERT can thrive and continue being as dedicated as they are, so that everyone benefits – our employees and our customers.

FLOCERT prides itself on being mission-driven, and having a strong human-focused company culture. From your first impressions, how does this show in practice?

NM: My impression of FLOCERT is that we are to a great extent living the role model of how the world could be. We come from different countries, continents and cultures, speak different languages, have different educational backgrounds, and all of us contribute to making the world a little bit better. The way people treat each other, interact, challenge each other, find solutions, laugh, and discuss things is truly inspiring. This human side also carries over to the way we treat our customers insofar as we are very much aware of the impact our audits and their results can have for the farmers, workers and their communities. And the success of our audits depends on a professional, trustworthy and respectful collaboration between our auditors and customers.

What is the "Governance" part in your role as CPGO, and what areas does FLOCERT have to tackle in this regard?

NM: The Governance part covers legal, compliance, corporate, and credibility assurance aspects. These are all important pillars that enable and ensure the independence, impartiality, and credibility of a certification body like FLOCERT. This includes, for example, assessments of upcoming EU regulations such as EmpCo (Empowerment Consumers Directive), and also safeguarding our impartiality in accordance with the ISO 17065 quality norm, but also all other legal and compliance matters of a globally acting company.

What are your personal goals for your new role? And how do you define success for these goals?

NM: I want to continue building on the structure that enables FLOCERT to be one of the leading certification bodies in the social business area. Another focus is on ensuring that FLOCERT is set up to meet all governance requirements, not only for its current services, but also for future ones. And, last but not least, establishing strong, trustworthy, and impactful communications to the people who work for and with FLOCERT.