News Articles

At International Associates Limited, our training and e-learning programs are crafted to equip professionals with essential skills in auditing, compliance, and industry standards. Whether you are just starting out or are a seasoned professional, our courses offer the tools and knowledge to enhance your capabilities and advance your career.

APSCA-Approved Courses are Now Available!

We are happy to share that two of our e-learning modules have now been approved by APSCA, meeting CPD requirements under the APSCA Competency Framework. This means our courses not only expand your knowledge but also contribute to your professional growth and certification needs.

APSCA-Recognised Modules:

• IA-001 Child Labour

  Duration: 2 Hours

  This module offers a comprehensive overview of child labour issues and effective facility processes to address them. It includes SA8000 and auditor supplements for a more detailed learning experience.Learn More

• IA-001 Forced Labour

  Duration: 2 Hours

  Focused on identifying forced labour indicators, this course provides the insights needed for effective audits and record reviews. Includes targeted SA8000 and auditor supplements. Explore Course

What Makes Our APSCA-Approved Modules Stand Out?

By completing these courses, you will earn valuable CPD hours that support your APSCA certification requirements, keeping your skills current and relevant in today’s dynamic industry. Stay tuned, more APSCA-approved e-learning modules are coming soon!

Ready to advance your expertise?

Start your learning journey with us today and make each CPD hour count!

enquiry@ia-uk.com

Author: m-coles

Published Date: December 11, 2024

We are excited to introduce a new suite of digital gap analysis tools from Deep Fathom, crafted to simplify the complex journey to ISO compliance. These tools offer a clear, data-backed view of your organisation’s strengths, highlight areas needing attention, and provide the confidence to move forward on a successful certification path.

Why Choose Deep Fathom’s Digital Gap Analysis Tools?

• Precision at Every Step:

  With detailed insights into your current compliance status, you will see exactly where you are on track and where adjustments are needed.

• Actionable Guidance:

  These tools offer specific recommendations to help you address non-conformances effectively.

• Effortless Efficiency:

  Fully digital and user-friendly, the automated reports keep your certification process smooth and on schedule, reducing any potential delays.

Streamline your path to compliance with Deep Fathom’s digital gap analysis tools. These tools put control and clarity back in your hands, helping make ISO certification a straightforward and manageable process. If you are interested, reach out to learn more about how we can support your compliance journey with Deep Fathom’s digital gap analysis tools.

enquiry@ia-uk.com

Author: m-coles

Published Date: December 11, 2024

For years, International Associates has held IRIS accreditation. This long-standing recognition highlights our commitment to promoting transparent, ethical, and fair recruitment practices across industries worldwide.

What is IRIS?

The International Recruitment Integrity System (IRIS), developed by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), sets rigorous standards to prevent forced labour, exploitation, and human trafficking in recruitment. Our IRIS accreditation reflects not just compliance, but our dedication to leading by example in ensuring ethical labour migration and fair recruitment practices globally.

Why IRIS Accreditation Matters to You

As the only IRIS-accredited audit firm for years, we deliver our expertise in promoting integrity across recruitment channels. Our commitment provides clients with:

• Long-Term Compliance:

  We ensure your recruitment practices align consistently with ethical standards, maintaining a fair and transparent labour supply chain.

• Reputation Building:

  Our IRIS accreditation elevates your brand, highlighting your dedication to human rights and ethical recruitment, which can boost trust and engagement among stakeholders.

• Proven Expertise:

  Our years of experience with IRIS provide a wealth of knowledge and insights, enabling us to deliver impactful strategies that foster sustainable compliance.

Our IRIS-Accredited Services

Our suite of services ensures that your recruitment processes meet the highest standards of ethical integrity, including:

• Ethical Recruitment Audits:

  Comprehensive evaluations that help identify and address risks in your recruitment channels.

• Certification Support:

  Step-by-step guidance for organizations seeking IRIS certification, ensuring compliance at every stage.

Partner with the Experts in Ethical Recruitment

• With years of IRIS-accredited excellence, we invite you to strengthen your recruitment strategies with an approach built on transparency, fairness, and compliance. Let’s continue leading the way in ethical recruitment together.

enquiry@ia-uk.com

Author: m-coles

Published Date: December 11, 2024

Swissmedic has recently introduced key updates to its Technical Interpretation regarding the role of the "Responsible Person" under the Swiss Medical Devices Ordinance (MedDO). These new guidelines are essential for maintaining compliance in Switzerland’s medical device market. Is your organisation prepared to comply with these changes?

Here’s a quick breakdown of the key changes:

• Qualifications and Experience: The Responsible Person (RP) must have the appropriate educational background and relevant industry experience. Depending on the nature of your operations (GMP, GDP), this could range from 1 to 4 years of professional experience. For companies handling high-risk medical devices, it’s mandatory that the RP has specific experience in this area.

• Language Proficiency: Swissmedic now requires the Responsible Person to be fluent in one of Switzerland’s official languages: German, French, or Italian. This ensures effective communication with regulatory bodies and guarantees that the company can meet compliance requirements seamlessly.

• Operational Supervision: The Responsible Person is required to actively supervise the company’s operations. This includes dedicating at least 10% of full-time work hours to ensuring that all critical steps are compliant with Swiss regulations. This hands-on approach helps to prevent non-compliance and ensures continuous oversight of key operational processes.

• Absence Coverage: In the event of the Responsible Person’s absence (up to four months), a qualified deputy must be appointed to take over full responsibilities, ensuring compliance is maintained without interruption. If the absence exceeds four months, a new application for a Responsible Person is required to guarantee that the company remains compliant with Swissmedic’s guidelines.

Why This Matters:

Non-compliance with these requirements can lead to significant penalties, including market delays, product recalls, or suspension of market access in Switzerland.

Don’t risk market delays or penalties, contact us today for a compliance audit and keep your operations running smoothly.

📧 enquiry@ia-uk.com | 🌐 www.ia-uk.com

Author: m-coles

Published Date: October 1, 2024

Keeping up with Health and Safety (H&S) regulations is an essential part of running any business, nevertheless, it can also be time consuming and complex, particularly when you are managing multiple locations. Effective H&S practices go beyond compliant to protect your people, reputation and your bottom line. In fact, businesses with strong H&S practices are 50% less likely to experience workplace incidents, which results in fewer disruption and lower costs.

To address this challenges, International Associates has collaborated with Deep Fathom to introduce the H&S Digital Assessment, an easy-to-use digital solution designed to simplify and improve your H&S internal audits. This innovative solution pinpoints areas of improvement, supports smarter decision-making, and ultimately strengthen your compliance, ensuring your organisation remains align with regulatory requirements. It is built to save time, reduce risk, and make your audits more effective.

What is the H&S Digital Assessment?

The H&S Digital Assessment is a comprehensive online platform that assists organisations in evaluating their health and safety practices efficiently and accurately. It is specifically designed to simplify the auditing by offering valuable insights and recommendations that lead to apparent improvements.

Here’s how it works:

• Identify Gaps in H&S Compliance: The solution provides a thorough assessment of your current H&S practices, identifying compliance gaps that required addressed before they become significant issues. Early identification of these gaps allows for proactive management, lowering the risk of costly incidents.

• Data Driven Insights for Decision Making: Using the cutting-edge analytics and real-time data, the H&S Digital Assessments provides reports that help you make informed decisions. With these insights, you can strategically align your H&S efforts with your overall business goals, improving both compliance and efficiency.

• Accelerated Improvements: The assessment tool offers actionable guidance on how to close compliance gaps, allowing your team quickly move from analysis to action. This speeds up the process of putting improvements into practice, enabling you to maintain high standards of Health and Safety across your operations.

• Risk Reduction and Cost Savings: By understanding your organisation’s H&S maturity level, you can mitigate potential risks and improve your compliance posture. Additionally, the platform also allows you to conduct audits across multiple sites simultaneously, saving time and reducing the costs associated with manual, location-specific audits.

Key Benefits of the H&S Digital Assessment

The H&S Digital Assessment brings a range of advantages to businesses, particularly those that operate across multiple locations.

• Improved Efficiency: The platform simplifies the audit process, allowing you to complete your internal audits more quickly, without interrupting daily operations. It is designed to be intuitive, making it easy for teams to adapt and use.

• Consistent Compliance Across Locations: With the ability to assess multiple sites simultaneously, you can ensure that your entire organisation is compliant with H&S regulations, whether you operate in one location or across many.

• Cost-Effective Auditing: By streamlining the audit process and providing clear, actionable insights, the solution helps reduce the time and resources traditionally needed for manual auditing. This translates into lower costs for your business and fewer disruptions to your day-to-day operations.

• Customised Reports for Targeted Action: The H&S Digital Assessment offers custom reports that are tailored to your organisation’s specific needs. These detailed reports give you a full overview of your H&S performance, helping you focus on areas that need immediate attention.

enquiry@ia-uk.com | www.ia-uk.com

Author: m-coles

Published Date: October 1, 2024

Sedex has recently introduced SMETA 7.0, an enhanced version of the widely recognised Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit (SMETA). At International Associates, we are ready to support your organisation through this transition and ensure compliance with the updated standards.

The updated SMETA 7.0 methodology introduces improvements aimed at helping businesses more effectively address the root causes of non-conformities while driving long-term sustainable improvement. In the absence of identified non-conformities, the new methodology provides a deeper evaluation of management systems to ensure continued alignment with ethical principles and standards.

One of the most impactful enhancements in SMETA 7.0 is the introduction of Workplace Requirements. These clear, actionable guidelines simplify the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) codebase and Sedex additions, making it easier for auditors to assess compliance. This update helps ensure that businesses meet both local laws and international standards, which ultimately means better protection for workers and stronger supply chain compliance.

We highly encourage our Sedex member clients to explore the Sedex E-Learning platform, which offers comprehensive resources to help you understand the updated framework and prepare effectively for future audits under SMETA 7.0.

Whether you are preparing for your first SMETA audit or seeking guidance on the new requirements, International Associates is here to assist you every step of the way. Our team of experienced professionals is dedicated to ensuring a smooth transition and providing tailored support to help your organization achieve full compliance.

Whether you are preparing for your first SMETA audit or seeking guidance on the new requirements, International Associates is here to assist you every step of the way. Our team of experienced professionals is dedicated to ensuring a smooth transition and providing tailored support to help your organization achieve full compliance.

For more information or to discuss how we can assist with your auditing needs, please get in touch with us.

enquiry@ia-uk.com

Author: m-coles

Published Date: October 1, 2024