DUBAI, UAE, Aug 18: ISS Relocations, a Dubai-headquartered international relocation company, today reaffirmed what FIDI accreditation means for anyone evaluating a mover in the UAE, and confirmed its own status as a FIDI FAIM Plus accredited company. ISS is one of fewer than 10 FIDI accredited movers Dubai currently lists in its official directory — a distinction earned through an independent audit process, not a marketing claim.
What Is FIDI Accreditation?
FIDI is the world's largest global alliance of international moving and relocation companies, representing more than 600 members across over 100 countries from its Brussels headquarters. FIDI accreditation is earned through FAIM certification — FIDI Accredited International Mover status — the only independently audited quality standard built specifically for the international moving industry. FAIM certification international moving requirements span more than 200 checkpoints, covering operational legality, staff training, packing standards, warehouse and vehicle compliance, financial health, data protection and customer service, all verified through an on-site audit by EY every three years.
Membership is not automatic. A company must apply, pass a 28-day objection period during which existing FIDI members can raise concerns, and complete the FAIM audit before it can call itself a FIDI Affiliate — regardless of years in operation or other certifications held.
Why FIDI Matters When Choosing a UAE Mover
Dubai's moving market includes hundreds of licensed operators and thousands of informal ones. A fully compliant moving operation costs upwards of AED 200,000 annually in licensing, insurance and staffing before a single move takes place — a cost unlicensed operators skip entirely, often undercutting legitimate movers by 50–70%. Fewer than 10 companies in the UAE hold FIDI accreditation, which means choosing a FIDI-accredited mover narrows the field from hundreds of options to a verified shortlist.
FIDI accreditation addresses two of the most commonly reported risks in the UAE relocation market directly. The first is the "hostage-load" scam, where an operator quotes low, loads a customer's belongings, and then demands additional payment before delivery — a practice FAIM prohibits through its fixed-price, post-survey quotation requirement. The second is the destination-partner gap, where a shipment is handed to an unvetted agent overseas with no accountability; FIDI's supply chain requirement obliges accredited movers to use only FAIM-compliant partners at the destination end.
FAIM Plus Certification: What It Adds
FAIM Plus certification represents the highest quality level available in the international moving industry, combining full FAIM compliance with a current ISO 9001:2015 quality management certification issued by a separate accredited body. This distinction matters for anyone comparing FIDI vs ISO 9001 moving credentials: ISO 9001 is a generic quality standard applicable across any industry, while FAIM was built specifically for the operational realities of international moving — packing standards, move-file documentation, and cross-border supply chain quality that ISO 9001 does not assess. ISS Relocations holds FAIM Plus certification, confirmed when it joined FIDI in November 2021, and additionally holds ISO 14001:2015 environmental management certification.
How to Verify FIDI Accreditation
Any UAE mover's FIDI status can be independently verified at fidi.org/find-fidi-affiliate by filtering for the United Arab Emirates. Companies listed there are current FIDI Affiliates with active FAIM certification; if a company claims FIDI accreditation but does not appear in the directory, the claim is false. ISS Relocations' listing is published at fidi.org/news/new-fidi-affiliate-iss-relocations-dubai-united-arab-emirates.
ISS Relocations' FIDI EY Audit and What It Covered
As part of its FIDI EY audit, ISS Relocations underwent a review of its complete move files from 2018 to 2021, alongside its warehouses, vehicle fleet, staff training records, supplier agreements, data protection procedures and financial statements. The audit does not evaluate policies in isolation — EY auditors sample actual completed move files to confirm that documented procedures were followed on real shipments for real clients, over the three years preceding the audit.
"FIDI accreditation isn't a marketing credential for us — it's the framework that shapes how every move is managed," said Abhilash Nair, spokesperson for ISS Relocations. "From the packing protocol to the claims process to how we vet our destination partners, each of these reflects a FAIM requirement built into daily operations, not something prepared for when an auditor is coming. FIDI sets the floor. We build above it."
Why FIDI Matters for Corporate Relocation in the GCC
For HR and global mobility managers procuring relocation services across the GCC, FIDI accreditation functions as a pre-qualification standard. Most corporate relocation RFP frameworks specify FIDI membership as a minimum requirement, since the independent audit gives assurance that a mover operates to consistent, documented standards across every move — reducing the due-diligence burden on procurement teams and ensuring destination service quality is maintained for the full duration of an employee relocation.
ISS Relocations operates across the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, India and Sri Lanka, and has completed more than 100,000 international relocations since its founding in 1996. The company holds a 4.7-star rating across more than 1,002 verified Google reviews.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does FIDI stand for in moving?
FIDI stands for Fédération Internationale des Déménageurs Internationaux, translating to the International Federation of International Movers. It is a global alliance of over 600 international moving and relocation companies across more than 100 countries, headquartered in Brussels. FIDI's quality certification programme is called FAIM, and all FIDI member companies must hold FAIM certification as a condition of membership.
How many companies are FIDI accredited in the UAE?
Fewer than 10 moving companies in the UAE hold current FIDI FAIM accreditation. The complete, up-to-date list is publicly searchable at fidi.org/find-fidi-affiliate by filtering for the United Arab Emirates. Any company not listed in the official FIDI directory is not a current FIDI Affiliate, regardless of claims made in its marketing.
How often is FIDI accreditation audited?
FIDI FAIM accreditation follows a three-year audit cycle, with an independent EY auditor conducting an on-site inspection covering every quality requirement, including a review of completed move files from the preceding audit period. In the intervening years, FIDI members must complete and submit an annual internal self-assessment, and FIDI reviews financial statements annually to verify financial stability. Failing any stage results in loss of FIDI membership.
What is the difference between FIDI and ISO 9001?
ISO 9001 is a generic quality management standard applicable to any industry, while FIDI's FAIM certification is designed specifically for international moving — covering packing standards, move-file documentation, cross-border supply chain quality, and relocation-specific customer service protocols that ISO 9001 does not assess. FAIM Plus combines both standards: a holder has passed the moving-specific FAIM audit by EY and a separate ISO 9001 audit by an accredited certification body. ISS Relocations holds FAIM Plus.
Is FIDI accreditation required to move internationally from the UAE?
FIDI accreditation is not legally required by UAE authorities to offer moving services. However, it is the most reliable independent indicator that a mover operates to consistent quality standards across an international move. Most corporate relocation programmes and global mobility policies specify FIDI-accredited movers as a requirement for employee relocations, and for private individuals, choosing a FIDI-accredited mover significantly reduces the risk of common UAE moving frauds.
Can I verify if a UAE moving company is really FIDI accredited?
Yes. Visit fidi.org/find-fidi-affiliate, select United Arab Emirates, and search the results — a database maintained and updated by FIDI directly. Companies appearing there are current FIDI Affiliates with active FAIM certification; companies claiming FIDI accreditation without appearing in the directory are not genuinely accredited. ISS Relocations' listing is published at fidi.org/news/new-fidi-affiliate-iss-relocations-dubai-united-arab-emirates.
Why does FIDI matter for corporate relocation in the GCC?
FIDI accreditation serves as a pre-qualification standard for HR and global mobility teams procuring relocation services in the GCC. Most RFP frameworks specify FIDI membership as a minimum qualification because the independent audit provides assurance of consistent, documented quality standards across every move, reducing the need for procurement teams to independently vet each mover's quality systems.
