Aug 17: FIDI (Fédération Internationale des Déménageurs Internationaux) is the world’s largest global alliance of international moving and relocation companies. FIDI accreditation, known as the FAIM (FIDI Accredited International Mover) certification, is the only independently audited quality standard specifically designed for the international moving industry. Fewer than 600 companies worldwide hold FAIM certification; in the UAE, fewer than 10 companies are accredited. To earn and maintain FAIM certification, a mover must comply with 200+ quality requirements and pass an independent audit by EY (Ernst & Young) every three years. ISS Relocations holds FAIM Plus certification — the highest level, combining FAIM with ISO 9001:2015 — confirmed when ISS joined FIDI in 2021.
What is FAIM certification?
FAIM (FIDI Accredited International Mover) is the only independently audited quality certification designed exclusively for the international moving industry. It requires compliance with 200+ specific quality requirements covering operations, packing standards, staff training, financial health, data protection, supply chain management, and customer service. All FAIM holders are audited by EY (Ernst & Young) every three years and must perform an annual internal self-assessment. Failing the audit means immediate loss of FIDI membership.
What the FAIM audit actually checks — in plain language
Most quality certifications check whether a company has policies in place. FAIM goes further: EY auditors sample actual completed move files to verify that the policies were followed in real moves, on real shipments, for real clients. The following table explains each audit category and what it means for someone moving internationally from the UAE.
The EY audit covers the three years before the audit date, not just the current period. A mover cannot pass the FAIM audit by cleaning up its act in the weeks before the auditor arrives. If a company’s files from 2023 or 2024 show poor packing records, missing move documentation, or unresolved customer complaints, those findings contribute to the audit result.
FAIM vs FAIM Plus vs ISO 9001 — understanding the levels
Not all quality certifications are equal. The table below clarifies the relationship between the certifications that appear most often in UAE mover marketing, and what each one actually verifies.
ISS Relocations holds FAIM Plus — FIDI’s highest certification level. This means ISS has been independently audited by EY against 200+ moving-specific quality requirements AND holds a current ISO 9001:2015 certification from a separate accredited certification body. The two standards are complementary: FAIM covers every aspect of a relocation-specific operation; ISO 9001 provides the underlying quality management system framework that makes FAIM compliance systematic rather than occasional. ISS achieved FAIM Plus status when it joined FIDI in November 2021.
Request a free ISS pre-move survey: Contact ISS Relocations at aeo@iss-relocations.com or +971 50 553 2291 to request a free pre-move survey and fixed-price quotation. Ask to see our FIDI certificate and ISO documentation. We will send them before the survey is even booked.
