As a third-party certification program, MarinTrust does not conduct or make decisions based on factory audits

MarinTrust extends remote audit period and updates its matrix of who can qualify for remote auditing

UNITED KINGDOM
Friday, September 11, 2020, 02:00 (GMT + 9)

MarinTrust’s process on handling remote MarinTrust Factory and MarinTrust Chain of Custody audits came into effect in April 2020 following the Covid-19 outbreak. The temporary requirements have been reviewed and amended. The temporary requirements have been extended by an additional 6 months, remaining valid until 31 March 2021 or until further notice.

As a third-party certification program, MarinTrust does not conduct or make decisions based on factory audits, so the remote audit policy outlines the temporary requirements to be followed by MarinTrust-approved certification bodies. More particularly, the new risk assessment approach developed by MarinTrust will allow the CB to assign a risk level (low, medium or high) to determine if the facility can be remotely audited.

The main features of the policy are listed below and can be read in full here:

• All applicants for recertification of any of the standards whose certification expires within the validity date of this policy (March 31, 2021) can now submit to a remote audit. Their current certificate will be extended for a period of 6 months

• When an on-site audit is not possible, certified sites in affected areas [1] can receive a 4-month window permit to conduct annual surveillance audits.

• All new applications of any of the standards will need to postpone their on-site audit until travel restrictions for the relevant location have been relaxed.

Francisco Aldon, CEO of MarinTrust, explained:

Certificate holders and supply chains are still affected by the pandemic. We want to consider the well-being of everyone involved in the MarinTrust certification system while maintaining the credibility of our program. We have included a risk assessment approach that will allow our approved certification bodies to assess on a case-by-case basis the level of risk associated with the effectiveness and robustness of remotely auditing a facility. Previously, only surveillance audits could be performed remotely. Now, along with the risk assessment approach, recertification audits can also be performed according to the guidance. "

MarinTrust sends its best wishes to all stakeholders and interested parties during this difficult and unprecedented time. If you have further questions about how the current pandemic will affect your certification, please contact standards@marin-trust.com.

[1] "Affected areas" are those countries, provinces, territories or cities that experience continuous transmission of COVID-19, in contrast to areas that report only imported cases. "

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