FIS launches e-learning course for merchant sales teams on supplying compliant products

FIS, the trade body for the finishes and interiors sector, has launched an online course for distribution and merchant sales teams on their responsibilities when supplying compliant construction products under the Building Safety Act.

The course, called Supplying Compliant Products: Best Practice, is free to FIS members through the FIS Academy. Non-members can take it for £75.

FIS said the module gives a practical introduction to the responsibilities that arise from the Building Safety Act and construction product legislation, and sets out why supplying the correct product or kit matters for compliance and for the safety of the finished building.

Damian Hill, FIS Technical Projects Manager, said: "Supplying the right product is fundamental to both compliance and building safety. This course gives sales teams a practical foundation for asking the right questions, managing risk and knowing when to seek further guidance."

What the course covers

According to FIS, the course was developed with sales operatives in distribution and merchant businesses in mind. It takes under an hour to complete, the trade body said, and uses practical scenarios and actionable steps. The FIS Academy course page lists the duration as 30 minutes and says the course qualifies towards continuing professional development (CPD).

FIS listed the learning outcomes as a grounding in the sales operative's role in supplying compliant products, an understanding of why the correct product matters for its intended use, greater awareness of high-risk situations, practical guidance on managing risk around product substitutions, and the confidence to ask the right questions and recognise when concerns should be escalated.

Earlier compliance training

The merchant course follows an e-learning module launched in April 2026. That module, Building Regulation Compliance: Contractor Roles, was aimed at contractors working with changing Building Regulations.

FIS has also been active in the government's reform of construction product regulation. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government ran its Construction Products Reform Green Paper consultation from 26 February 2025 to 21 May 2025, and said that critical gaps persist in the construction products regulatory framework.

In its response to the Green Paper, FIS said it had highlighted the need to review designer responsibility alongside producer responsibility.

In May 2026 the trade body responded on behalf of its members to both of the government's follow-up consultations on construction product regulatory reform, the White Paper and the General Safety Requirement. FIS said products not covered by a designated standard would be captured by the new General Safety Requirement, and that it worked closely with the Construction Products Association on its response.

About FIS

FIS describes itself as the not-for-profit representative body for the £12bn UK finishes and interiors sector. It was formed in 2015 from a merger and says it has more than 600 members drawn from contractors, manufacturers and distributors.

The course is available now through the FIS Academy, at no charge to members and £75 to non-members.