To demonstrate our commitment to the fiduciary responsibility we have when it comes to both personal and business financial planning, we recently completed the rigorous CEFEX certification for our retirement planning service division.
The CEFEX certification is a global fiduciary standard of excellence. It’s based on the international standard, ISO 19011: Guideline for quality management system auditing. The assessment is evidence-based, and all work is reviewed by the CEFEX Registration Committee to ensure impartiality and consistency. The assessment typically includes document review, client file sampling, on-site visits, and interviews with senior representatives at the firm.
To be able to work with CEFEX means we’ve completed rigorous training and have been able to audit and provide feedback on our systems.
The CEFEX analyst we worked with holds not only the Accredited Fiduciary Credential, but also the Fiduciary Analyst Credential and a Qualified 401(k) Administrator designation. The point of holding these advanced credentials and training is to help provide fiduciary guidance, best practices, and overall accountability to firms like ours.
Going forward, these best practices will be verified by annual audits and are intended to ensure that those who hold the certification place clients’ interests first, and this will continue to build trust with clients, along with fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
This is an important certification for several reasons. It’s designed to increase trust, it demonstrates our commitment to high professionalism, keeping current with best practices, and really aligns us with a very elite group of companies who have gone through this comprehensive and rigorous process.
By completing this process, we have become one of only 139 advisors globally, 5 in Ohio, and one of just 3 in Cleveland to hold this certification1.
The focus on continuous improvement helps us to keep growing, expanding, and helping to ensure the best client experience, and that we all hold ourselves to a high fiduciary standard.
We’re very excited to share our new CEFEX certification for our Retirement Planning Division. If you’re a business owner or executive and have questions about your company’s retirement plan, we’re here to help!
1. CEFEX.org: https://www.cefex.org/index.shtml