Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the re-certification audit was conducted remotely from Germany by Tuev Nord, the organisation responsible for auditing Occupational Health, Safety, Environmental and Energy Systems at many of the Volkswagen Group’s plants across the world. This approach - using a combination of Skype, Microsoft Teams and a DJI Osmo Gimbal device for live video and audio streaming - made VWSA the first company in the Volkswagen Group to complete this audit remotely.

The Tuev Nord team was able to view the production process and interview employees virtually, and praised VWSA for the success of the virtual process. “We have done many remote audits with different companies all over the world, but nothing can compare with the remote audit conducted at VWSA. It is the best experience so far,” the team noted.

Though VWSA hosted Tuev Nord for surveillance audits in 2018 and 2019, this is the first re-certification audit since 2017 after the 2020 audit was postponed due to the pandemic. The certifications are a requirement in order for VWSA to export their vehicles to other markets. The results of the 2021 audit showed zero non-conformities, which is an indicator of the Company’s ongoing commitment to excellence.

“Being re-certified sends a clear message to our local and international customers,” said Dr Robert Cisek, Volkswagen Group South Africa Chairman and Managing Director. “It proves that VWSA continues to deliver the highest quality, and that our employees are dedicated to playing their part in achieving that quality. I am proud of, and grateful for, each member of our workforce that contributed to this achievement.”