Thumbs up for remote audit at Superfos facilities

Covid-19 imposes new ways of doing things, including follow-up visits for renewal of various certified standards such as ISO 9001 Quality Management. Several facilities have successfully run remote audits, where independent auditors have had online access to employees and production sites.

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Even a pandemic cannot make Superfos give up on top standards in BRC, Quality Management, Environmental Management, and other core areas. So, in order to keep up with the regular audit schedule during lockdown, several sites of Superfos, a Berry Global company, ran remote follow-up auditor visits. By using video and smartphones it was possible to connect with the independent auditors in view of possible renewal of various certifications. In spite of the unusual set-up, the procedure worked very well, and at all sites involved, a renewal of the certificate in question has been issued.

Strong collaboration
In case of the Besançon facility in France, the ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certificates now have a 1-year renewal. They respectively concern Quality Management and Environmental Management.

Jérôme Devaux, Factory Manager, Superfos, Region South, says:

“It’s amazing to see how our team has managed to overcome the difficulties linked to this remote auditing.  It was accomplished off site at a time when we were gradually stepping out of the lockdown in France caused by the pandemic. Thanks to strong collaboration and a goal-oriented mindset at our facility, it was a job well-done in respect of the preparatory phase, as well as the remote audit itself.”

What happens at a remote audit?
During a remote audit, the auditors conduct a number of video interviews with selected employees regarding process and policies. Video is also used to view documents and, where possible, to view the facility while asking further questions or requesting additional information.

Remote renewal of BRC at Superfos Balkan
These methods for remote online auditing were also used at the Gračanica facility for renewal of the BRC certificate. Again, the result was successful – a six-month renewal and no remarks.

When asked about the special procedure, Fatima Ibrahimović, Quality Management Representative, Superfos Balkan, says:

“The online − remote − audit was a completely new experience for us. We were a bit nervous but luckily everything went well without any remarks from the auditor. In fact, the BRC auditor was impressed with our pandemic emergency and contingency response plans, which were developed by our management team, so the renewal audit ended on an upbeat note.”
Because of the covid-19 situation, several audits, including the yearly BRC audit, are being postponed. It is expected − and hoped for − that normal audits can be resumed in a not too distant future.