Lloyds List 2015 Corporate Responsibility Award application.

QACE delivers independent assessment of the recognised classification societies.- Who audits the auditors?

The challenge was to establish an independent audit and certification body to assess the eleven classification societies recognised by the European Commission. The stakeholders, industry and the public at large require the classification societies to ensure that ships are built and surveyed during their working lives to the very highest standards of performance to ensure safety of life and property at sea and for the protection of the marine environment.

The Recognised Organisations (ROs) deliver approximately 300,000 surveys and audits in offices and on-board over 50,000 ships around the world each year. The statutory, rule and flag State requirements are increasingly complex. The sea remains a dangerous environment and as such the marine industry is heavily regulated.

How was such a job to be done? QACE is a ‘not for profit’ Community Interest Company (CIC), founded in November 2010, under its Articles of Association. It is constituted by five non-executive directors representing the three regions and different sectors of the industry. To maintain QACE independence the directors are required to have no links with the Recognised Organisations (ROs) or their associations.

The ROs are audited by Accredited Certifications Bodies (ACBs) and QACE oversights these audits. QACE adopts the IACS Quality System Certification Scheme (QSCS) and the ISO: 9001-2008 business standard. The marriage of both the deep dive technical audit by technical experts and the application of process audit and continuous improvement techniques are proving highly effective.

QACE takes a risk-based approach to the audits it selects for assessment, covering around 50 audits over 35 visits each year; ensuring there is a geographic spread and that the full scope of services are included. The heart of the audit scheme is the witnessing of surveys on-board ships under construction and during major surveys. Implementation of new statutory requirements into the RO’s rules and the application of the requirements in the field can be verified.

QACE delivers:

Feedback on its findings at an annual End-User Workshop. Formal QACE reports regarding the results of its annual

assessment programme and Collective Recommendations in an Annual Report to industry stakeholders.

Analysis of assessments and audit findings resulting in annual Audit Focus Areas.

A two year programme of Individual Recommendations to each of the ROs, part of which is an analysis of their audit findings trends and the identification of strengths and weaknesses.

In this way QACE drives improvements in the RO’s management systems and processes, ensuring the necessary safety controls are in place and are continuously improved.

QACE is independent, inclusive, and transparent. QACE delivers Collective and Individual Recommendations the improvement of ROs’ processes and internal control mechanisms. From 2016, QACE will present a compliance certificate to each of the ROs, promoting safeguarding within the marine environment.

INDEPENDENT / INCLUSIVE / TRANSPARENT / TACKLING PERFORMANCE

Lloyds List 2015 Corporate Responsibility Award application.

There have been many hurdles to negotiate in the path to an effective assessment and reporting programme and to become the trusted source with regard to RO’s quality management system performance (process diagram above).

A major strategy for the future includes a successful application to the International Maritime Organisation for adviser status; the process to include making the Annual Report part of the IMO instruments and QACE available, if considered appropriate, in an RO Code oversight role.

QACE believes that the actions at this time has moved QACE from an organisation under development to now one of establishment; able to fulfil its’ mandate in delivering continuously improving quality and safety through its’ own and the RO’s management systems. To that end QACE would anticipate itself as a suitable candidate for this year’s Lloyds List Corporate Responsibility Award.

We have included a copy of a link to our 2014 Annual Report. To find out more about QACE, please visit our website. www.qace.co

INDEPENDENT / INCLUSIVE / TRANSPARENT / TACKLING PERFORMANCE

Jan 2015 Established a new assessment team & administration

Jan 2015Established a new Quality Management System.

Jan 2015ISO:9001-2008 certified

Feb 2015First annual input to the development of the marine quality IACS QSCS standard.

Jun 2015QACE establishes control of the audit process through tripartite agreements with the ROs and ACBs

Jun 2015QACE prepares to issue QACE RO Certificates of Compliance.

Jun 2015QACE completes EU assessment compliance actions.

Steps to independent RO classification society

assessment