Remote Audit - COVID Policy

In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, MarinTrust has invoked its Process on Handling Remote MarinTrust Factory and MarinTrust Chain of Custody Audits during Extraordinary Events or Circumstances. These policies shall be valid until further notice.

Covid

Documentation 

Version 3 of the COVID Policy is effective and the previous version 2 is superseded.  For further guidance, please refer to Transition document.

Guidance for applicant and certificate holders who undergo remote and enhance remote audit can be found as follows:

These policies and procedures are reviewed regularly and amended where applicable in accordance with the changing nature of the pandemic to ensure its ongoing relevance. 

MarinTrust Auditing Options and Scenarios

TASA factory

MarinTrust has agreed that for all MarinTrust audits to either its Factory Standard or its Chain of Custody Standard the following requirements shall need to be followed by its approved Certification Bodies. 

 
 
New Applicants
  •  All new applicants will be deemed high risk and will be required to undergo the audit onsite. These shall be processed and made audit ready until the CB can execute the audit onsite following the agreed certification procedures and requirements.
  • Where an onsite audit is not possible, as of 7th March 2022 new facilities to the MarinTrust Programme, who therefore have no previous certification history, may be offered an enhanced remote audit option. The CB shall follow guidance on Enhanced Remote Audits within this document and Enhanced Remote Audit Guidance addendum document.
Surveillance Audits
  • All certified sites shall be required to have the annual surveillance audit to maintain the continuity of their certificate for either the MarinTrust Factory Standard or the MarinTrust CoC Standard. Where an on-site audit is not possible in affected areas*, the CB shall conduct a Risk Assessment and follow guidance in table 1.
Re-certification Audits
TASA factory 2
  • All recertification applicants to either the MarinTrust Factory Standard or MarinTrust Chain of Custody Standard whose certification is due to expire within the validity date of this policy, shall have their current certificate extended by a period of up to 6 months by their CB from the date of certificate expiry. If an on-site audit cannot be completed within this time, the CB shall conduct a Risk Assessment and follow guidance in table 1.
Table 1 – remote auditing options based off allocated level of risk of the facility by Certification Bodies  
RiskSurveillanceRecertification
Low
  • Audit(s) can be conducted remotely, with video technology with an interactive capability.
  • If 2 consecutive surveillance audits have been conducted remotely, the next recertification audit will be required to be onsite.
  • Audit(s) can be conducted remotely, with video technology with an interactive capability if only the 1 previous surveillance audit was conducted remotely. The next audit will be required to be onsite to verify MarinTrust clause requirements that cannot be verified (or only partially verified) remotely.
  • Where the 2 previous surveillance audits were conducted remotely, the recertification audit must be onsite.
Medium
  • Audit can be conducted remotely if the previous audit was conducted onsite. However;

-  an onsite audit must be conducted within 6-months to provide assurance that clause requirements not able to be assessed (or only partially verified) remotely are fully complied with.

- If during the remote audit it was possible to fully verify all clauses of the relevant standard the following onsite audit shall follow the normal audit frequency of 12 months and must be conducted onsite.

  • Where the previous audit was conducted remotely, a second remote audit may be conducted remotely provided the video technology used at the previous audit allowed all criteria to be assessed fully. The next audit shall be conducted onsite within 12 months.
  • Audit can be conducted remotely if the previous audit was conducted onsite. However;

-  an onsite audit must be conducted within 6-months to provide assurance that clause requirements not able to be assessed (or only partially verified) remotely are fully complied with.

- If during the remote audit it was possible to fully verify all clauses of the relevant standard the following onsite audit shall follow the normal audit frequency of 12 months and must be conducted onsite.

  • Where the previous audit was conducted remotely, a second remote audit may be conducted remotely provided the video technology used at the previous audit allowed all criteria to be assessed fully. The next audit shall be conducted onsite within 12 months.
High
  • As of 07 March 2022 - Audit cannot be undertaken remotely, however, the CB may contact MarinTrust secretariat directly to discuss options if applicable. An enhanced remote audit may be offered.
  • As of 07 March 2022 -  Audit cannot be undertaken remotely, however, the CB may contact MarinTrust secretariat directly to discuss options if applicable. An enhanced remote audit may be offered.

* “Affected areas” are considered those countries, provinces, territories or cities experiencing ongoing transmission of COVID-19, in contrast to areas reporting only imported cases.” https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/travel-advice

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