What does the Audit Outcome mean?

Excerpts below are from the Fast Forward General Regulations, available to SEP Subscribers and Member Brands.

5.8            Audit Control Points and Ratings

The onus is on the Supply Chain Business to demonstrate their level of conformance with a series of Fast Forward Control Points.  Each Control Point is assigned a weighting as follows:

  • Critical
  • Major

Depending on the evidence observed, the Auditor will award a Compliance Status to each individual Control Point as follows:

  • Beyond Compliance
  • Standard Compliance
  • Partial Compliance
  • Non-Compliance
  • Audit Evasion
  • Not applicable

Each of these Compliance Statuses is defined for each individual Control Point and not all Control Points will have all the Compliance Statutes as may be appropriate. In reaching a rating for each Control Point the Auditor will also assess compliance against appropriate local legal requirements.

The Compliance Status awarded for each individual Control Point will determine the Supply Chain Business with one of the following Audit Outcomes:

CategoryDescription
LeadingBeyond compliance in over 25% of control points where this is possible and: no findings of Audit evasion; no critical control point non-compliances or partial compliances; no major non-compliances; less than 25% major partial compliances. Sets example for good practice.
PerformingNo findings of Audit evasion; no critical control point non-compliances; less than 25% of critical partial compliances; less than 50% of major control point non-compliances or partial compliances. Positively engages in improvement process.  
DevelopingNo findings of Audit evasion; less than 25% critical non-compliances; 25% or more critical partial compliances; 50% or more major control point non-compliances or partial compliances. Positively engages in improvement process.  
Under ReviewSigns of hiding or misleading data through 1 or more findings of Audit evasion for critical or major control points or 25% or more critical control point non-compliances.