Update from the General Manager

The outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19) is continuing to impact people and countries around the world. Our top priority is the health and safety of our customers, employees, partners and communities. We understand the challenges facing your business and it has been our priority to support your needs in any way we can.

Already, in response to this outbreak, NQA has conducted thousands of audit days utilizing a variety of remote technologies and has received positive feedback on how our remote audits have been consistent with our on-site approach.

I would also like to acknowledge the resilience of our customers by undertaking these audits, in some cases, with a reduced work force and/or participating in the audit from a remote location themselves.

NQA is carrying out pre-established business continuity plans and we have succeeded in our execution of our audits seamlessly during these challenging times. I want to personally share NQA’s commitment to you and the steps that we have been taking to protect all of our customers, partners, and employees:

• We are carefully monitoring the rapidly changing situation, following guidance from the WHO, the CDC and local health authorities.

• We’ve significantly increased our remote audit capabilities, while following both the guidelines of our accreditation bodies and specific industry requirements. It is always our goal to maintain and continue to keep your NQA certification in good standing to ensure you continue to meet your customers’ contractual requirements.

• NQA Auditor and Support teams are committed to adhering to all our customers’ guidelines when performing on-site audit activities. We are encouraging our auditors and staff to follow health authority best practices like frequent hand washing, social distancing, and staying home if they are feeling ill.

• We are encouraging our customers to schedule remote audits through July, 2020. Agreeing to and confirming a remote audit in July will secure your audit date, auditor and your certification cycle date will be maintained. If an on-site audit is preferred as you get closer to your July audit date, we can convert the remote audit to an on-site activity where appropriate.

• NQA is confident that this pandemic will soon move into the recovery stage and we will continue to take all precautions to ensure that we accomplish your on-site audits safely. 

In short, NQA’s Certification Services are a critical business tool for thousands of companies. Today and always, we feel privileged to be your registrar, and we will continue in our commitment to give you world class service.