Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,

Due to the outbreak of the Corona virus, now meeting the criteria of a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) according to the World Health Organization (WHO), the ISCC Board has decided to allow recertification audits to be conducted on a desk basis. Precondition for conducting these desk audits on an exceptional basis is that the certification body can evaluate compliance with ISCC requirements remotely and that at a later stage the on-site audit is conducted. This exception applies until further notice by ISCC and only for recertification audits in the following Asian countries:

• China
• Japan
• Malaysia
• Republic of Korea
• Singapore
• Thailand
• Vietnam

System users are obliged to provide their certification body with all evidence required to confirm compliance with ISCC requirements via a desk audit. ISCC will monitor the further development of the outbreak. As soon as the situation allows to conduct on-site audits again, certification bodies are obliged to additionally conduct the respective on-site audits within a transitional period of three months. All relevant documentation including audit procedures must be completed and submitted to ISCC.