Fertiliser Industry Assurance Scheme (FIAS): Supply Chain Safety and Compliance
In this episode of The AIC Podcast, AIC Technical Manager Roberta Reeve discusses the Fertiliser Industry Assurance Scheme (FIAS), its role in supporting safe and secure fertiliser supply, and what Participants need to know to stay compliant.
We cover:
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What FIAS is, why it was created, and how it helps manage safety and security risks across the fertiliser supply chain.
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How the Scheme supports public and regulatory confidence by ensuring fertilisers are supplied, handled, stored and traced safely.
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Why FIAS applies across all fertiliser types, not just higher-risk products such as ammonium nitrate.
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Common areas where Participants can face challenges, including internal audits, management review meetings and training records.
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Practical support available through the FIAS website, including template documents, training videos and FIAS e-learning.
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Good practice tips for embedding the FIAS Standard into day-to-day business operations and preparing for audits throughout the year.
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The Scheme’s 20th anniversary, its role in supporting safe fertiliser handling, and the planned implementation of the updated FIAS Standard in October 2026.
This episode is ideal for FIAS Participants, fertiliser businesses, merchants, transport operators, stores, product sales teams and others involved in the fertiliser supply chain who want clear, practical guidance on assurance, compliance, safety and security.
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Transcript
Wendy Welcome to the AIC podcast, where we share practical guidance and insight for Members and help the industry understand how the agri food supply chain works. I'm Wendy Ford, I'm the AIC Communications Manager, and today we'll be exploring the Fertiliser Industry Assurance Scheme, also known as FIAS. I'm joined by AIC Technical Manager Roberta Reeve, and she'll walk us through what Members and Participants need to know and practical steps to stay compliant. Welcome to the podcast, Roberta.
Roberta Thank you Wendy.
Wendy It's lovely to have you on here. As one of the Technical Managers at AIC, you manage the scheme, support Participants and work with stakeholders across the agri supply chain. With that in mind, it would be great to hear about you, your background and how you got into the industry.
Roberta I've been with AIC for just under eight years. I'm the Scheme Manager for the Fertiliser Industry Assurance Scheme. Prior to that, my career has mostly been in the food industry, for about, I don't like to count, but probably about thirty years, working in operations, quality control, technical and development. So, yes, all very interesting stuff. And then I joined AIC and I've been learning ever since about fertilisers.
Wendy And fertilisers are what we're going to be talking about today. So let's start off with the basics. What is FIAS and why was it created?
Roberta So FIAS, which is the Fertiliser Industry Assurance Scheme, it was established in response to significant security and safety concerns linked to fertilisers, and these arose following incidents where fertilisers were misused in terrorist activities, leading to harm, as well as cases where improper storage or unsafe practices resulted in major explosions and fatalities. So it was recognising these risks that representatives from government departments, farming bodies, ports, transport and security organisations alongside Members of the fertiliser industry, engaged in discussions to develop a robust framework for the fertiliser supply chain. And the outcome was the creation of FIAS. So designed specifically to identify potential risks within the fertiliser supply chain and implement effective controls to mitigate those.
Wendy It's definitely an important assurance scheme. FIAS has just turned twenty, which is an amazing milestone. What is FIAS' current role today?
Roberta FIAS plays a crucial role in maintaining public and regulatory confidence by ensuring that fertilisers are supplied, handled and stored safely, and that all sales are monitored and traceable. And this helps the Scheme to prevent misuse and provides assurance to both authorities and the wider public that robust safeguards are in place in the industry.
Roberta I think that FIAS is sometimes perceived as a Scheme intended solely for fertilisers that present high safety and security risks. For example, materials like ammonium nitrate. And while the origins of FIAS are rooted in managing risks from those particular materials, the Scheme is always encompassed all fertiliser types regardless of their risk profile. And this broad scope means that FIAS is relevant to a diverse array of businesses within the fertiliser industry, covering both varied product types and different scales of operation as well.
Wendy So how does FIAS manage risk across the different fertiliser products?
Roberta One of the main fundamental requirements for Participants is the completion of a thorough business process risk assessment. And the complexity of that risk assessment and the controls that derive from that depend on the specific products handled. For example, a Participant dealing with ammonium nitrate will face more complex and rigorous risk management requirements than a business handling low risk, low nitrogen fertilisers. And this sort of tailored approach ensures that appropriate safeguards are in place relative to the risk level associated with each type of fertiliser.
Wendy That risk based approach really makes sense. But what do FIAS Participants typically find most challenging when it comes to implementing those requirements?
Roberta So we regularly review audit outcomes and non-compliances. And this indicates that the most common areas where participants encounter difficulties are in the completion of internal audits, the Organisation of Management review meetings and the maintenance of comprehensive training records and all of these aspects are essential for effective compliance, but on occasion they're overlooked or incomplete.
Wendy We often hear. Keeping regular records is one of those things that most people struggle on a day to day basis. How does FIAS help Participants address those challenges and that everyday kind of real world struggles that they encounter?
Roberta So to assist Participants in addressing these challenges, the FIAS website offers a range of template documents, which are designed to guide businesses through the necessary processes, and these can also help ensure that internal audits and management reviews and training records are completed correctly and efficiently.
Roberta And among these would be some informative videos which are particularly helpful for training purposes. They show the role that FIAS plays enhances overall awareness and they form a good part of induction training for staff. There's also a video about what to expect on an audit day as well, which is useful. And we also have FIAS e-learning, which is another resource available to participants, and that offers targeted training modules tailored to specific roles and sectors such as drivers, transport managers, stores and product sales.
Wendy That's great. Sounds like there is a hub of advice for FIAS Participants. Let's talk top tips and good practice. Are there any simple ways Participants can check to see if they're meeting the Standard?
Roberta One of the most straightforward approaches to make sure that you're complying with FIAS is by conducting regular internal audits. And these audits provide an opportunity for businesses to systematically review their compliance to the scheme standard and identify any areas that may require improvement. And I would also recommend that it's essential to refer directly to the FIAS standard document during these audits. And it's by comparing current practices and procedures against the specific requirements outlined in the standard. That will tell whether you're actually meeting all the necessary criteria.
Wendy As we mentioned earlier, FIAS is celebrating its twentieth anniversary this year. Looking back over the past two decades, what do you see as the Scheme's most significant achievement for the fertiliser industry?
Roberta FIAS is designed to accommodate a diverse risk of business types and scales of business within the fertiliser industry. So it's difficult to single out examples. as every Participant has played a crucial role in the ongoing success. And collectively, these businesses really have ensured that fertiliser is handled in a safe and secure manner and can be traced throughout the supply chain, and that robust practices are consistently applied within their operations. To give a notable sort of demonstration of the effectiveness of FIAS and the industry's commitment to safety, this was seen following the Beirut explosion in 20 20, which was attributed to poor fertiliser storage practices. And in response to that, the UK fertiliser industry was able to confidently demonstrate that the combination of established legislation, and the controls enforced by FIAS make it highly unlikely that a similar incident could occur in the UK. And really, this achievement stands as a testament to the dedication and hard work of all FIAS Participants, highlighting the value of their ongoing commitment to the scheme and the rigorous standards and best practices.
Wendy And speaking of best practices, are there any that you could share today?
Roberta I would recommend, probably my personal favourite is to move away from conducting internal audits immediately before a routine external audit, and instead actually develop a schedule that distributes in short bursts, the internal audit process over the entire year. So this means that each relevant section of the FIAS Standard can be reviewed systematically in a small chunk and allows time to ensure that any corrective actions can be identified and implemented well in advance of an external audit. And I've seen in practice that businesses that adopt this proactive method, it reduces the pressure associated with last minute preparations before an external audit. And it also keeps focus on the scheme throughout the year.
Wendy That sounds like a really good tip. It's little and often.
Roberta Little and often. Exactly. Yeah, exactly.
Roberta I think for me, my other top tip would be to ensure that the FIAS Standard is genuinely integrated and embedded into the business. It's really essential that it becomes a meaningful part of day to day activities, rather than simply existing as a document that's filed away following each routine audit. And this approach encourages everyone in the business to be actively aware of bias and to understand the reasons behind the various controls and procedures that are in place. It's also by fostering this level of engagement, employees are most more likely to appreciate the value of compliance and support the ongoing effectiveness of the FIAS requirements within the organisation, which feeds into the cycle of continuous improvement.
Wendy Definitely. You've given us a lot today, which I really appreciate. If our listeners take away one thing from the podcast, what do you want that to be?
Roberta I think it's hard to pull it down to one. I'd have to go for two. I think, the importance of FIAS as a scheme. It's well recognised and it performs an important role in the fertiliser industry, and I think we just need to be very aware of it and not become complacent because it's achieved a lot of the objectives that it set out to do originally. And I think the second point is just, there is a lot of support available. So if anyone has questions or queries or is struggling with FIAS, then please contact us. We'll do our best to help.
Wendy And finally, what does the future look like for the Scheme, and what should Participants be watching out for over the next year?
Roberta We've gone through every word in every clause and discussed it with the FIAS working group and come up with a new draft. And the plan at the moment is that the new version of the standard will be issued or will be implemented in October 20 2 6. And prior to that, we'll be including some training sessions.
Wendy That's great. Thank you so much, for sharing your expertise today.
Roberta Thanks, Wendy.
Wendy Members can find further updates, guidance, and resources on the AIC website and through our Member communications. Thank you for listening, and we'll be back with another episode soon. If you found this useful, please share it with a colleague and check the show notes for links and definitions. And again, thank you for joining us.
Wendy Views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect any organisation they represent. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. Listener discretion is advised. Thank you.
Author
Wendy Ford
Wendy Ford is Communications Manager at AIC, creating and overseeing the content published on AIC's website, emails, Member briefings, print publications, and social media.
