O PI N I O N Its all about the quality M y daughter will be attending university next year. Together, she and I have toured some of the Canadian universities to which she has applied. I treasure the father/daughter time we have together, during which our conversations cover a range of topics. On a recent campus tour in Montreal, unprovoked, she passionately told me how she feels about quality. More specifically, that of the new dress trousers she purchased and with her own money I might add. The trousers are the most expensive piece of clothing she has ever bought, and she beamed with pride when describing them. You know Dad, you get what you pay for, she said. It is a great example of the timeless appeal of quality. It can appear, in so many areas of our life and work, that price is the only factor that really counts; but its clear that there still remains a place for people, products and organisations that aspire to reach the very highest standards. As such, FIDIs unwavering commitment to developing and maintaining an industry-leading position on quality in the moving business is still as relevant today as it was when FAIM was first launched in 1998. Its a sign that clients look for to ensure that, when they hand over responsibility for relocating their employees and their families, they will be working with companies that will uphold the same level of care as they would. Since its inception, FIDI has continued to raise these standards, too, introducing higher benchmarks and incorporating emerging categories of quality to ensure that movers licensed to carry the mark are only those at the very top of their game. This continuous striving for improvement has taken us to FAIM 2022, which included new areas of compliance such as business sustainability and digital readiness. The start of 2026 will see the launch of the next FIDI President Derek Duffy on the enduring appeal of quality and the never-ending mission to raise the standard of FAIM version, when full digitalisation and readiness for fully remote auditing become mandatory. The near half of FIDIs Affiliates who were still to go fully paperless a few months ago should be working hard to ensure they comply with the revised audit requirements in two years time. Having the quality that it takes to attain FAIM credentials is something that unifies all Affiliates FIDIs old mantra Twice the Mover is as relevant today as it was in the 1950s. FAIM is increasingly recognised by clients, from those in the corporate and government sectors where more relocation policies are stipulating that FIDI Affiliates should be used to private customers. In the late-1990s, Armstrong was one of the first companies to achieve FAIM, and during the past 25 years, I have seen first hand the value that clients perceived. It is the accepted gold standard. With lump-sum moves on the rise, there is a reason for marketing our quality to individuals and families organising their own moves, too (see page 50 for more on this). FIDIs internationally renowned focus on quality also led to the formation of the FIDI Professional Cooperation Guidelines (PCGs), a set of industry recommendations covering all aspects of an international move. Governed by an impressive committee of representatives, these also evolve regularly, and have been adopted and implemented by other industry bodies, too. Everything that FIDI stands for is about quality, from the FIDI office and your FIDI Board to the FAIM Coordination Centre and FAIM Steering Committee, and beyond. Together, we remain committed to this never-ending journey of advancing quality. With young people such as my teenage daughter appreciating and preaching about quality and getting what you pay for, it appears that FIDI and FAIM can be passed on into safe hands, too. Derek Duffy, FIDI President Connect with me on Instagram: @dduffyyyz LinkedIn: linkedin. com/in/derek-duffy7900b114/ Email: derek@armmove.com 5 FF312 Dec_Feb 23 pp04-05 Derek Column.indd 5 11/12/2023 15:41