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Support relief efforts on the front line by donating towards disaster relief and the national freight forwarders’ response. In the wake of the terrible earthquake which led to tens of thousands of fatalities in Türkiye and Syria, the FIATA family wishes to stand in solidarity and join together in sending donations to the FIATA Association members in Türkiye and Syria, who have been supporting their nations where possible. Please read their testimonies below.

Current List of Approved ITMC Early Adopters

IAM Mobility Exchange – the online connection for the International Association of Movers, the Universal Service Provider Directory for the moving industry and the only trusted source for IAMTrusted Moving Company status. Click the graphic below to see our current list of IAMTrusted Moving Companies. Are you Trusted?

IAMTrusted Moving Company – Professionalism Assured

Our business relies on our ability to collaborate with service partners operating to professionally expected standards. This system, built on experience and trust, works remarkably well. Most transactions flow seamlessly without formal written contracts but the few exceptions create tremendous friction, inefficiency and financial risk for the industry.

Assuring Adherence to a Professional Code of Conduct

The IAMTrusted Moving Company (“ITMC“) designation recognizes IAM member companies that have made significant investments in their business to promote a culture of competence, knowledge, and conscientiousness within their staff and wish to display a tangible commitment of their trustworthiness to their industry colleagues. These companies also wish to reduce inefficiency and risk by choosing to collaborate with their peers who have also made this same commitment by earning their ITMC credentials.

IAMTrusted Moving Company Agreement

The ITMC Agreement lists the requirements that IAM member companies must adhere to as a condition of earning and maintaining their ITMC designation. ITMC Agreement is built upon the foundation of the Code of Ethics of the International Association of Movers which all IAM Members are bound by.

The ITMC Agreement stresses truth and fairness in advertising, sales and customer service practices that build and maintain customer trust and confidence in the professional moving industry. The ITMC Agreement relies on the IAMX-Validation system to document, review and validate IAMTrusted Moving Company requirements.

The ITMC Agreement requires each ITMC to agree to be bound by the processes of the IAM Issue Resolution System (IIRS).

Click here to view the complete IAMTrusted Moving Company Agreement document.

IAM Issue Resolution System (IIRS)

While most transactions between IAM member companies are concluded successfully, occasional issues may arise. These issues can be classified into 4 major categories:

• Financial – Issues related to financial disputes or non-payment of transactions charges.
• Operational – Issues related to operational issues related to a transaction
• Ethics – Ethics or professional code of conduct violations
• IAM Trademark Infringement – misuse of the IAM name, logos or trademarks.

Any IAM member company will be able to report an issue through the IIRS automated system at IAM Mobility Exchange. While all IAM members are bound by the IAM Code of Ethics, an ITMC voluntarily agrees to abide by the IIRS Guidelines which stipulate a strict timeline for issue acknowledgement and resolution. In addition, if that issue resolution cannot be achieved between the involved parties within the resolution period, an ITMC agrees to abide by any judgment resulting from an Issue referred by IAM Staff to its established resolution processes in the RPP Operating Rules and Regulations and IAM Procedures for Dispute Resolution and Ethics Enforcement.

An ITMC displays their IAMTrusted Moving Company logo denoting their status in good standing as part of their IAMX company profile. Any failure to abide by the IIRS timeline milestones and processes will result in the removal of the ITMC status.  The ITMC logo will be removed from that company’s IAMX profile until that company’s ITMC status has been reinstated.

Additional penalties may apply depending on the frequency and severity of IIRS procedure violations. The complete rules and procedures of the IIRS are outlined in the IIRS Guidelines.

IAMTrusted Moving Company – A Unique Differentiation

A key strength of the IAM is that it welcomes industry participants of all sizes and ranges of experience. This diversity fosters a stronger community of members developing and shared resources that contribute to continuous professinal quality improvement.

IAM member companies who wish to differentiate themselves and display their commitment to an enhanced standard of professional conduct as contained in the ITMC Agreement will now have the option to apply for ITMC status.

Key Benefits of Working with an IAMTrusted Moving Company

• Trust – All qualifications including those related to ITMC Agreement are documented and validated through the IAMX Validation system.
• Minimize Financial Risk – The IIRS procedures incentivize prompt settlement of financial transactions and provide a strict timeline to resolve financial disputes. IAM is also able to assist member companies sooner when you report early through the IIRS.
• Assurance of Professional Conduct – An ITMC agrees to the written rules of professional conduct outlined in the ITMC Agreement and agrees to be bound by the IIRS procedures in the event that an ethics issue is raised against them. In addition, through the commitment to industry standards contained in IAM Learning training programs, staff of an ITMC will adhere to industry standards supported by the IAM.
• Dynamic Display of ITMC Status – Unlike quality assurance programs that rely on infrequent, periodic snapshots of a company’s status, the ITMC program displays a dynamically updated designation logo based on objective metrics related to the adherence to the ITMC Agreement.
• Objective Status Ranking – The ITMC designation is not based on subjective user reviews which may be open to manipulation. The ITMC logo depicts the current status of that company’s adherence to the ITMC Agreement in real time.

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IAM Code of Ethics

IAMTrusted Moving Company Agreement

IAM Issue Resolution System Guidelines

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IAMTrusted Moving Company Affirmation

The digital IAMTrusted Moving Company Affirmation Form is now available at IAMX. To complete and submit the form, you must a principal of your company that is authorized to affirm the ITMC commitments on behalf of your company. Here are the steps:

• Sign in to IAM Mobility Exchange (IAMX). You must be an authorized Admin of the company. How to Sign In to IAMX.
• Click on the Validation Checklist. The ITMS qualifications appear at the bottom of the checklist.
• Be sure that you have met the following:

Once you have met all four of those requirements, the green tick marks will show approval of these requirements (Green Arrow), you are ready to submit your ITMC Affirmation Form (Click Red Arrow).

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The IAMTrusted Moving Company Training Course

The IAMTrusted Moving Company Training Course is available at IAM Learning.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When will the IAMTrusted Moving Company be launched?

The IAM is inviting early adopters willing to help us test and fine tune the program before the official launch of the program which is currently scheduled for April 3, 2023. Early adopters that complete their application and are accepted into the program prior to December 31, 2022 will have their annual ITMC fee waived for the 2023 year.

What are the fees associated with the ITMC program?

The annual fee for the ITMC program is US$500 for IAMX-Validated Members, Core Members and Premier Members. For IAM Value Members that are not IAMX-Validated, the fee is US$750 which includes the annual IAMX Validation fee.

What are the requirements to apply for the ITMC designation?

The requirements can be found in the IAMTrusted Moving Company Agreement.

What about my branch offices?

Branch offices of an IAMTrusted Moving Company which are located in the same country as their parent company are eligible to receive the IAMTrusted Moving Company designation. The branch offices must be IAMX-Validated members and must be listed in the IMTC Branch Member Form. They must adhere to requirements 2 thru 9 of the IAMTrusted Moving Company Agreement.

Branch offices of an IAMTrusted Moving Company located outside of the country of their parent must apply separately meeting all of the requirements of the IAMTrusted Moving Company Agreement. The annual fee for branch members located outside of the country of their parent is US$250.

What happens if my company accidentally fails to meet a requirement of the ITMC program?

Any failure to meet any of the requirements of the ITMC Agreement will result in the immediate loss of ITMC status and removal of the ITMC logo from that company’s profile in IAM Mobility Exchange.

Can I apply to reinstate my ITMC designation after losing it?

An ITMC that loses their ITMC status may apply to be reinstated by:

• Correcting the issue that caused the loss of ITMC status.
• Submitting a written plan to prevent recurrence of the issue.
• Waiting a 30-day period from the date of application for reinstatement.

An ITMC that has 3 or more failures to abide by the ITMC Agreement in a 12-month period will have their ITMC status suspended for 1 year. The ITMC may apply for reinstatement by:

• Correcting any outstanding issues that caused the loss of ITMC status.
• Submitting a written plan to prevent recurrences of the issues.
• Waiting a 365-day period from the date of application for reinstatement

FIATA International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations ​invites ​its members ​to the ​2023 ​HQ Meeting titled ’Navigating Uncertainty’. ​

​The ​event ​will ​be ​held ​in Geneva, Switzerland ​on 18-21 March ​2023 ​at the CICG – The International Conference Centre Geneva, with the Extended Board Meeting taking place in the morning on Wednesday 22 March. Please note a Welcome Cocktail will be organised on the evening of Friday 17 March 2023.

More information about the programme, such as the HQ Meeting venue, the registration process, registration cost, accompanying persons programme, visa letter and accommodation suggestions can be found below.

FIATA members meet in person at least twice a year at the FIATA HQ Meeting and the FIATA World Congress. These face-to-face meetings strengthen the bond between the members of the FIATA community and for this new edition of the FIATA HQ Meeting, the Presidency wishes to welcome as many participants as possible in Geneva, the FIATA headquarters city. If a FIATA member is prevented from attending the event in-person due to force majeure, it is advised to contact the FIATA Events team at [email protected] for individual assistance. Please note that registration to the FIATA HQ Meeting is open until Sunday 5 March 2023 inclusive.

Should you have any questions regarding this event, please reach out to the FIATA Events team.

Programme

The FIATA HQ Meeting will officially commence at 09:00 CET, Saturday 18 March 2023, and finish at 17:30 CET, Tuesday 21 March 2023, for all delegates, except for Extended Board Members who will attend the Extended Board meeting in the morning of Wednesday 22 March 2023.

Please also note that FIATA will organise a welcome cocktail, where there will be a registration desk for the event, in the afternoon of Friday 17 March 2023. The exact location of the welcome cocktail will be disclosed in the weeks to come.

A preliminary version of the programme is already available here.

Theme

Disruptions in supply chains have revealed the vulnerability of freight-forwarding and logistics companies. The COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, rising energy costs, and other climatic disasters illustrate the extent of the challenge and the consequences for global supply chains and sustainable development. These challenges underscore the need to build resilience, particularly in the most vulnerable economies. In this context, ‘Navigating Uncertainty’ will be the theme for the 2023 HQ Meeting. 

To support Association and Individual Members cope with the new challenges, FIATA will work towards providing tools to promote resilient logistics in the face of disruptions at the 2023 FIATA HQ Meeting.
 

HQ Meeting Venue

FIATA HQ meeting will be held at the CICG on floor 0 and 1. Signage throughout the venue will direct delegates to the different sessions.

Accommodation

FIATA has negotiated special rates with the Manotel network, which offers a selection of six hotels in Geneva from 3 to 5 stars near the HQ meeting venue (CICG) and the welcome cocktail (Hôtel Royal Genève). In-person Members delegates are encouraged to book their accommodation through the following link.

Please note that Hotel Edelweiss is the furthest away from the HQ meeting venue (20 min by bus and walk). Whereas it is quicker to get to the HQ meeting venue from Hotel Royal Genève (15 minutes by bus).

Registration

Registration for attending delegates to the event is mandatory and the registration fee of CHF360 applies for in-person delegates as a participation to Food and Beverages costs during the whole HQ Meeting.

To start your registration for the event, click this link. Registration takes between 5 to 10 minutes. It is recommended to have booked your transport to travel to Geneva to complete your registration. At this stage, note that it is possible to register several delegates from the same Association or Individual Member, simply make sure to enter the information of all attending delegates accordingly.

Registration to FIATA HQ meeting is open until Sunday 5 March 2023 inclusive.

Once your registration is complete, you will receive an invoice by email for payment via the FIATA dedicated payment platform. In all cases, participation in the HQ Meeting is subject to payment and receipt of registration fees by Friday 10 March 2023.

Additionally, participation fees for all activities in the Accompanying Persons Programme are due by Friday 3 March.

 

Refund

Please note that refund requests are eligible up to Tuesday 28 February. After this date, no refund request will be considered as FIATA will be liable for incurred costs.

Exception: Participants who have been denied their VISA application have up to Tuesday 7 March to ask for a refund.

Travelling to Geneva in COVID times

For more information about COVID travel restrictions, please check the Federal Office of Public Health website for information on entering Switzerland from abroad. Please make sure to regularly check this website in case the situation evolves over the coming weeks.

For information, to see what rules apply to your own particular situation when entering Switzerland, consult the online tool Travelcheck created by the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health.

 

Visa letter

For delegates who need a visa letter to attend the FIATA HQ Meeting, please make sure to provide all requested information in the registration process. FIATA recommends initiating the visa request process the soonest possible as the process can prove to be lengthy. FIATA will support applications to its best efforts.

 

Accompanying Persons Programme

New this year: the organisation of a special Accompanying Persons programme, taking place from Friday 17 March to Tuesday 21 March, at their expense.

For Friday 17 March, FIATA HQ has organised a full day trip in Chamonix for Accompanying Persons to discover the wonders of the mountainous French Alps at the price of CHF249 per person. Participants to the HQ Meeting are also invited to register to this day, should they wish so, as it will take place the day before the official opening of the congress.

On Saturday, 18 March, FIATA has organised a special trip to the ‘Village‘ outlet near Lyon at the cost of CHF129 per person.

On Monday 20 March, Accompanying Persons are offered the possibility to visit the UN Headquarters in Geneva, at the price of CHF15 per person.

On Tuesday 21 March, Accompanying Persons can visit the Red Cross Museum at the cost of CHF16 per person.

Attending all above-mentioned activities costs in total CHF409.

Registrations to these special activities shall be done through the HQ Meeting official registration platform.

As usual, Accompanying Persons will be invited to attend all HQ evening social events: the Welcome Cocktail on Friday 17 March and the Partners’ and Sponsors’ night on Monday 20 March.

 

Transport in Geneva

The Geneva public transport system is quite efficient and diversified: buses, trams, trains, and yellow taxi-boats on the lake are available.

By staying in a hotel, you are entitled to receive a personal and non-transferable Geneva Transport Card for free, which will allow you to use the whole public transportation system of Geneva for the length of your stay for free. Just ask for it upon arrival at the hotel reception.

Transport – from the airport to your hotel

If you decide to book your accommodation through one of the recommended Manotel hotels, look for the train station at the airport, get off at Geneva Cornavin, and you will be a 10 min walk away from your hotel.

Transport – from your hotel to the HQ meeting venue

If you decide to book your accommodation through one of the recommended Manotel hotels, please note that all these hotels are within a 20-minute range via walk and bus from the HQ Meeting venue. You will be a five-minute walk away from the closest bus stop to travel to the HQ Meeting venue. To travel to the HQ Meeting venue, hop on line 15 (brown signage), “Môle” stop for Royal, Auteuil, and Kipling Hotels and hop on line 15 “Butini” stop for N’VY and Jade hotels and get off at the “College Sismondi” bus stop for a five-minute walk to access the HQ Meeting venue).

Transport – from your hotel to the welcome cocktail

If you decide to book your accommodation through one of the recommended Manotel hotels, please note that all these hotels are within a 5–10-minute walk to the welcome cocktail venue.

Transport – from the HQ meeting venue to the airport

To get from the HQ Meeting venue to the airport, it is easiest to take the bus.

The bus stop is just around the corner from the venue (click here to check itinerary) and hop on line 5 (light blue signage), “Varembé” stop, and get off at Geneva airport.

 

Health regulations

It is imperative that you familiarise yourself with the health regulations of Switzerland and any other country through which you may travel. We urge FIATA Members to verify that their travel insurance includes COVID-related coverage for health care, travel, and other related matters.

 

Weather forecast

The weather in Geneva in March is very cold with temperatures between -1°C and 11°C; warm clothes are a must.

You can expect rain for roughly half of the month of March in Geneva. We’re expecting roughly 8 to 15 days of rain, so your rubber boots and umbrella are going to see plenty of use this month if you’re keen on staying dry.

You can expect a few days of snow in Geneva during March. It’s important to get out your winter boots and warm mittens to stay warm should you expect to explore Geneva and its surrounding.

 

Dress Code

For the FIATA HQ Meeting, it is recommended that you wear clothing and shoes that make you feel comfortable as you will be sitting the entire day of the conference. It should be layered, allowing you to dress up or down as room temperatures can vary.

 

Travel adaptor

It is recommended to pack a travel adaptor plug. It is important to note that it does not convert the voltage or frequency. For Switzerland, there are two associated plug types, types C and J. Plug type C is the plug that has two round pins and plug type J is the plug that has three round pins. Switzerland operates on a 230V supply voltage and 50Hz.

 

COVID Disclaimer

FIATA is committed to offering a safe environment to all attendees and relies on the participating delegates to practice safe behaviour during the event, such as social distancing and other community or personal requirements, in order to mitigate any spread of a communicable infection including COVID-19. Moreover, please note that FIATA will provide hand sanitisers in several locations at the HQ Meeting venue.

Should the COVID situation change in the period prior to the event, FIATA may revisit this policy.

 In the event of a COVID situation that would prevent FIATA from holding the event as planned, FIATA would organise a virtual HQ event at the same initial dates.