With FIDI’s FAIM audits taking place remotely for the foreseeable future,
John Prooij, Manager Quality & Risk, explains how the process will be organised
In light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the consequent travel restrictions and safety measures, the FIDI Board decided to put a moratorium on all pending FAIM 3.2 audits in 2020 from September. It asked the FAIM Coordination Centre (FCC) to develop a remote audit scheme for 2021.
This will allow us to continue with the FAIM Compliance Procedure, while adapting to the current global context.
What is the objective of the FAIM remote audit scheme?
FAIM is based on a three-year cycle, with 2021 marking the final year of the FAIM 3.2 cycle. To elevate the entire FIDI membership up to FAIM 3.2 level, there are still an estimated 250 outstanding on-site audits to be performed. Taking into account the travel restrictions linked to the COVID-19 pandemic and the uncertainty about how the situation will develop until the end of 2021, we have decided to do these remotely, within the strict FAIM framework.
How will the FAIM remote audit scheme work?
The first remote audits will take place in March 2021. The affected companies should have received all the explanatory information and step-by-step requirements from the FCC by early December 2020. The remote audit will follow a six-phase approach, closely following the traditional on-site audit procedure.
The audits will be performed by specially trained EY auditors, who will perform the audits from EY’s Belgian headquarters. They will work in three geographical teams, following local time zones.
The FCC, in partnership with the dedicated EY team, is putting everything in place to maintain the high-level quality of FAIM 3.2, while adapting to the extraordinary circumstances the COVID-19 pandemic has forced upon us.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact the FCC at fcc@fidi.org
