Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) evaluates how a company develops, sources, uses or sells organisms - primarily crops and microorganisms - whose genetic material has been altered through modern biotechnology (e.g., recombinant DNA, gene editing) in ways that do not occur naturally. The topic encompasses:

• R&D, field trials and commercial cultivation of GMO seeds or engineered microbes;
• procurement and use of GMO-derived raw materials in food, feed, pharmaceuticals, textiles and bio-industrial processes;
• biosafety, environmental-risk and food-safety assessments (gene flow, allergenicity, pest resistance, non-target impacts);
• segregation, traceability and identity-preservation systems to prevent unintended mixing with non-GMO or organic supply chains;
• regulatory compliance (e.g., Cartagena Protocol, EU GMO Regulation, USDA/APHIS, FDA, EFSA) and labelling/disclosure obligations in end-markets.