COVID-19 and Certification: How Remote Audits Keep Certificates Valid
Travel restrictions in 2020 stopped most on-site audits. Accreditation rules for extraordinary events and for the use of information and communication technology allow audits to continue remotely.
Key points
- Two IAF documents frame the response: IAF ID 3 on extraordinary events and IAF MD 4 on the use of ICT in auditing.
- A certification body decides case by case whether to audit remotely, postpone or combine both.
- A remote audit needs the same evidence as an on-site audit; preparation decides whether it works.
What the rules allow
When an extraordinary event prevents access to a site, the certification body assesses the risk of continuing certification and may postpone an audit within set limits or replace part of it with remote techniques. Scheme owners in food safety have published their own positions, which are stricter for some activities.
What can be audited remotely
- Document and record review through screen sharing
- Interviews with management and process owners
- Review of internal audits, management review and corrective actions
- Live video of production areas, where the scheme and the connection allow it
How to prepare
Test the platform and the connection in every area that will be shown, agree in advance how confidential documents will be shared, and name a guide for the live video tour. Keep a record of what could not be verified remotely so that it is covered at the next visit.