The renewal comes only after a grueling company audit undertaken by world renowned management consultants Capgemini, acting on behalf of FIDI, a Belgian-based organization representing over 700 overseas moving companies around the world.

Although sponsored by FIDI, the actual audit of companies is handled entirely by Capgemini and is repeated every two years.

FAIM is the only quality assurance standard for the international moving industry and covers every aspect of a company's activities in detail. From the way that telephones are answered, fire regulations maintained and the type of packing materials used, to the security of the warehouse, the FAIM standard covers over 500 aspects of operations.

"It's not just a question of getting the paperwork right, either," says Siddique Khan of Globalink. "Capgemini interviewed staff at random, quizzing them on their knowledge of the industry and operational procedures. No one escaped - they talked to packers, drivers and office staff."

The overseas moving industry is self-regulated; historically, FIDI (the oldest industry association) has developed the principle of agent-to-agent relationships. This has meant creating a climate in which companies all over the world can work together with a measure of confidence in a colleague's ability not only to do provide support services at destination or departure, but to pay its bills too.

"That may have held good fifty years ago," says Siddique Khan, "but not any more. Consumers are entitled to know that they are dealing with a quality-audited company at departure and destination - and FAIM is part of a process to bring the whole of FIDI membership to a single standard. So people on the move in Sydney can be as certain as people in Stockholm of obtaining the same level of quality when they move overseas."