COVID-19 MSPO Certification: Prioritizing Remote Audit

COVID-19 is a global pandemic, advancing at unprecedented speed and scale. It is creating a universal imperative for governments and organizations to take immediate action to safeguard their people.

Self-quarantine. Wearing face mask. Social distancing. Hand sanitizer. Cluster spread. These formerly incomprehensible terms are now everyday words. New conducts are forming that in many cases are not likely to go away after the crisis passes.

Amidst the global pandemic, ECCO certified’s typical on-site audits were suspended. Instead, we offered remote MSPO audits for our clients. Nevertheless, the audit duration is designed to meet MSPO certification scheme requirements, so the duration required remained the same. However, delivery approach varied depending on specific scheme requirements. The specific audit criteria are taken into consideration while developing audit plan for our clients before deciding either to conduct partial or fully remote audit.

All these arrangements are discussed and agreed in advance with our clients. It took some time for our MSPO audit team and client to grow accustomed to the new challenge. 

This new challenge, however, required an equal mix of technology, training and cultural change where the interior location of oil palm estates and internet connectivity proved to be a drawback.