b'CSI / CSI-ICS.COM / WE ARE TAKING THINGS SLOW AS THE REOPENING PROGRESSES PROTECTING OURSELVES AND OURCLIENTS IS TOP PRIORITYWHILE THE SPREAD OF COVID-19 inof client comfort with technology Canada seems to be stabilizing andplatforms are the biggest hurdles the the general environment improving,organic inspectors have faced.we do not want to be hasty in ourFor RSEs and seed labs that are decision to continue with our on- due for an audit this year, there still site audits. The health and safety ouris plenty of time to schedule an audit. clients, auditors and staff are our topWe realize that the conditions of priorities.the pandemic are different in each We had asked that no audits beprovince, so this will factor into our conducted once the pandemic hit indecision regarding when and how to Roy Van Wyk, March. Our focus at CSI had to beresume our normal service delivery. CSI Executiveon the organic program, given theGiven these regional differences, Director rigid timelines for annual inspectionswe may follow a slightly different and the necessity of issuing a newimplementation timeline in each certificate to our organic clients toprovince. Different requirements may permit business continuity. There isalso apply to auditors who conduct less pressure in the seed program,audits outside of the province where and we were fortunately coming intothey live, depending on the province a time of year when there are fewerwhere the audit is conducted.audits that occur, so we havent lost aAS THEAs we move to in-person audits, lot of ground. we want to ensure auditors take the CSI staff are all still workingSAYING GOES,appropriate steps to protect them-remotely. Our head office remainsNECESSITY ISselves and their clients. There is a temporarily closed. All air travel is onmuch higher expectation now of the hold for CSI staff and contractors untilTHE MOTHERsocial contract between an auditor Jennifer Scott, at least until the end of June. We areand their client when the auditor CSI Programsalso discouraging any travel betweenOF INVENTION. comes to a clients place of busi-Manager provinces for at least the next monthness, which may also be their clients across all of our programs, and for allhome. If the auditor or the client are staff and contractors. uncomfortable with an on-site audit, The remote audit protocol willthen a remote audit will be an option soon be available to auditors, andthis year.CSI provided training in June on theAn event like COVID-19 forces us mechanics of conducting a remoteto innovate and think of alternative audit, including how to categorize theways to conduct audits in the event establishments that require audits thiswe cant do them in person. CSI car-year in terms of risk.ries out audits coast to coast, and the Remote audits come with chal- current situation requires that we be lenges in technology. CSI has alreadyflexible and adaptable, while ensuring been conducting some remotethat we continue to support the high organic inspections, and the widequality of pedigreed seed in Canada. variation in reliable internet service As the saying goes, necessity is in rural areas and differing levelsthe mother of invention. 44GERMINATION.CAJULY 2020'