Remote Auditing
Green Audits for Inaccessible, Isolated,
and Hybrid Audits
A remote platform that offers you a quantum leap beyond videoconference
Video conferencing, smart phones, digital cameras, and digital data together with QuantumLeap can provide much of the assurance of an onsite visit. And where necessary combining onsite and remote auditing can be effective whilst reducing financial and carbon cost.
Getting the producer - or an independent person - to tour the facility using these tools - for example by supplying georeferencing coordinates, and date and time stamps on images for verification of authenticity - may take auditors a very long way to understanding what is going on. Combining that with data sources that are progressively becoming available, can provide the rigour to verify conclusions.
And, our mobile solution does not require you to download any apps onto your phone.
QLBS has developed QuantumLeap, an application that can be used to audit producers remotely without having to travel or visit the producer.
Key evidence can be viewed and uploaded by auditors and producers in separate locations using mobile devices such as tablets and phones.
Prove the authenticity of evidence using date/time stamping and capturing the geographic location.
This is important for the pre-audit, the interim audit, and potentially the full audit, where onsite verification is impossible or not seen as essential.
If you have a green agenda, Remote Auditing will give you results.
A leading auditor remarked that he had halved his carbon footprint during the Covid-19 pandemic, and was still getting effective audits. The number of kilometres he had driven for the year reduced by half, from 100,000 to 50,000, because of the lockdowns.
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Case Study: CCPB - Remote Audit Success
In November 2020, CCPB, Italy’s most innovative certification body. decided to pilot the QuantumLeap platform to conduct a remote GlobalG.A.P. IFA audit.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, global travel restrictions prohibited CCPB from sending an auditor to Lebanon to conduct an annual audit with one of its producers.
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The pilot was conducted with the producer in Lebanon, the auditor in Egypt, and the reviewer in Italy. All were able to share opinions and evidence through 'the cloud' to the satisfaction of the auditing body.
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Auditor in Eqypt
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Producer in Lebanon
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Reviewer in Italy
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How did QuantumLeap make this possible?
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The Auditor was able to get a good understanding of what was going on, without having to be physically present.
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The Producer was emailed a link to the assessment. He could take pictures using his smartphone or tablet, and upload the necessary files. He could also add his own comments related to each control point.
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The Auditor was then able to see those uploads in real-time and complete the responses in the checklist, based on the evidence provided.
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The Reviewer was able to review all the evidence and comments, and ensure that the audit was a thorough reflection of the situation.
How did QuantumLeap work for CCPB?
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Three key people were able to collaborate and conduct an audit with ease, and see everything within the system - even though they never met.
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The growers were very comfortable with using the system, very quickly. The growers found it so easy to use that they soon had 37MB of images and files uploaded to the system.
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Once the audit was completed and reviewed, it was automatically uploaded into the GlobalG.A.P Audit Online database, with no further effort needed by CCPB.
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For similar or repeat audits, you can take a copy of a previous audit and amend as needed. No need to start from scratch.
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The remote audit service offers so many benefits that we could use it even when we can get on site.
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Remote Audit now offered as 'standard'
in the QuantumLeap Platform
Keith Phillips, CEO of QLBS
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"We believe that this remote functionality service will be used in a number of ways.
It will be used for inspection by consultants and internal auditors. It will also be used to organise an audit more efficiently before the onsite visit, and it will be used when you simply cannot visit the farm physically because of pandemics, personal danger, or the high cost of reaching the farmer.
This will enable a safe continuous supply of food and income during difficult times, as well as a more efficient and lower-cost solution during normal times.”
Available on all schemes including GLOBALG.A.P. standards
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CCPB
Control and Certification
CCPB srl certifies organic and eco-friendly sustainable products all over the world.
With the merger of CCPB and IMC (Mediterranean institute of certification), CCPB is the leader of 5 certification companies across the Mediterranean that are authorised by their respective agriculture ministries in Morocco, Egypt, Tunisia, Turkey, and the Middle East.
Marco Roffia - GLOBALG.A.P. Scheme Manager
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“We were very happy with the process and outcome of this pilot.
Finding ourselves in a situation in which it is essential to guarantee one's own and others' safety, it became essential to adopt technology to our advantage, placing trust in companies that offer cutting-edge solutions such as QLBS.
This led to the participation of CCPB srl in the remote auditing pilot project which confirmed the starting hypothesis, i.e. there are effective alternatives to the physical presence of a person in the field, where one can interact in the same moment with people located in three different continents.”
“This is the future!
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I was able to get a clear view of what was going on, and I collected the evidence easily. When I wanted further verification I simply asked the producer to take photos using his smartphone for instant review.
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I really appreciated this technology. We can use it in normal situations, not just during the corona virus pandemic.”
Ehab Abdel Rahman - Lead Auditor, Egypt
Watch Marco Roffia talking about his experience of conducting a CCPB remote audit at the Global Exemplar Online Food Safety Expo.
This is how it works:
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The inspector/auditor creates the assessment and emails a link to the producer.
Both the auditor and the producer view the same audit on QuantumLeap. The producer has a limited view. /auditor creates the assessment and emails a link to the producer.
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The auditor can ask the producer to show them around the farm or provide evidence using the digital video, audio and image windows that the camera on their smartphone or laptop is providing. This is integrated into the platform.
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The appropriate evidence (images, files, and video snips) is uploaded and attached to the appropriate audit question by the producer.
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Having completed the online interview, the auditor can then review the comments and evidence and complete the report deciding on compliance status.
Using Smartphones:
QuantumLeap, provides a remote solution that enables the smartphone to be used as a response and data entering device without even downloading an app. And, it can be used both online and offline.
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When offline, someone on the farm can answer questions, take pictures as evidence, input via text, and voice - whether they have an online connection or not.
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When online, the answers and evidence will be uploaded to QuantumLeap for the auditor to review.
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The data and evidence flow into the full assessment in the cloud and it enables a qualified auditor - in any geography - to work on it.
Used along-side video communication apps (like 'What’s App' or 'Zoom') an online auditor can see what the on-site person is seeing.
They can give them instructions on what to do and what to take pictures of so that they can see what is going on at the farm, factory, or packhouse, at any time from anywhere.
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The online auditor can then seek further clarifications and evidence, edit text, and generate reports for automatic submission to regulators.
The producer can take the photos on a phone or tablet, and upload the images into the audit.
Images can be date and time stamped, and show the geo-location.
Once all data has been updated and the inspector is happy with the audit, the entire inspection including all evidence and comments for each question can be submitted to GLOBALG.A.P. using the QuantumLeap integrated software.
Collecting Evidence:
If evidence is required for the audit
Both the inspector and the producer will see the images in the audit record.
Remote Audit has advantages of cost as well as the quality of assessment:
Reduced Cost:
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The auditor can save expensive, onsite time by getting the audit 'well-managed' prior to an onsite visit.
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Reduces travel and time expenses when the number of onsite audits can be reduced as risk is mitigated. Particularly for follow-up audits.
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Time taken to generate reports is reduced as the data and evidence are better organised and clarification is easily obtained.
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Improved Quality:
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Onsite time can be focussed on identified risks and adding value to the visit.
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Experts in different geographies can be used to assess specialist areas.
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Data can be gathered at random times ensuring authenticity. 'Dressing-up' for appointments can be avoided.
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The onsite auditor resource can be focused on farms that exhibit the biggest risk.
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GLOBALG.A.P. Providing Partner
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QLBS was the first GLOBALG.A.P. audit technology approved partner to submit IFA results via the GLOBALG.A.P. API in accordance with the new 2020 audit submission requirements.
GLOBALG.A.P. and QLBS have been working together to bring certification bodies an easy-to-use cloud option for conducting GLOBALG.A.P. audits and uploading data.
Integration of the QuantumLeap platform is complete and now enables seamless reporting.
Jochen Baumgarten, former VP and CTO of GLOBALG.A.P.
“We are pleased to support QLBS in offering an independent way for GLOBALG.A.P. approved certification bodies to meet our requirements for audit and inspection data reporting.
With QuantumLeap, certification bodies have the opportunity of getting an inspection and audit management tool that can be customised to their individual needs and is intended to connect seamlessly with the GLOBALG.A.P. Audit Online system to avoid double entry work.
With the use of QuantumLeap, certification bodies can also choose to digitalise their business processes across schemes within their portfolio, to avoid having different procedures for each process."
Find out More about Remote Auditing
Benefits
Online and Offline
The tool can also be used both online and offline with offline evidence (images, files, video, and comments) uploaded once the system is online again.
Remote Peer Reviews
The audit can be peer-reviewed by providing access to the assessment for online discussions with other experts from the professional pool.
Continuous Access
The audit may take place over time as producer and auditor will have continuous access to the assessment online until the audit is finalised.
Designed for Digital
Use laptops, tablets, and mobiles; online and offline with central data storage
Accessible to Everyone, Everywhere
Available to you, your auditors, anyone with permission; online or offline.
Flexible
Other Compliance Schemes can be conducted for the same producer, using the same online space; all the audits can be in one place.
An online, real-time, SAAS, audit reporting platform that offers visibility, consistency, reliability, integrity, control, confidence, rigour and flexibility.
'Request a Demo' for a no-obligation demonstration of how our solution works and what potential it has for your organisation.
