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Statement of Impartiality

QMSAI Statement of Impartiality

At QMSAI, we recognize the critical importance of impartiality in our certification activities. We are committed to maintaining objectivity, independence, and fairness in all certification decisions.

  • To uphold this, we:
  • Implement policies and procedures to identify, assess, and mitigate risks to impartiality.
  • Maintain an impartial committee to oversee and review impartiality risks.
  • Ensure our certification personnel are independent of assessment and training activities
  • Prohibit involvement in consultancy services to avoid conflicts of interest.
  • Continuously review and improve our impartiality framework through audits and stakeholder feedback.
  • Through these measures, we inspire trust and confidence in our certification services

1. Purpose

The purpose of this procedure is to define how the QMSAI ensures and maintains impartiality in all of its certification activities in accordance with the requirements of ISO/IEC 17024:2012 Clause 4.3. This procedure outlines the measures in place to identify, manage, and mitigate risks to impartiality, thereby safeguarding the integrity and credibility of the certification process.

2. Scope

This procedure applies to all certification activities, including the development, management, and operation of certification schemes, the assessment of candidates, the decision-making process, and the management of personnel and external resources (such as assessors, examiners, and subcontractors).

3. Responsibilities

  • Top Management: Ensure the impartiality of the QMSAI operations by creating policies and resources to identify and mitigate risks to impartiality.
  • Impartiality Committee: Oversee impartiality by reviewing risks and ensuring that any potential conflicts of interest are identified and addressed.
  • QMSAI Operations Manager: Monitor and report any risks to impartiality committee in the certification processes.
  • Personnel (including examiners and assessors): Comply with impartiality requirements and declare any conflicts of interest.

4. Procedure

4.1 Identification of Impartiality Risks

  • The QMSAI identifies risks to impartiality on an ongoing basis through the following mechanisms:
  • Regular risk assessments of certification processes.
  • Annual reviews by the impartiality committee to assess whether any risks or conflicts of interest have emerged in the body’s activities.
  • Staff declarations: All staff, including assessors, decision-makers, and examiners, are required to sign a declaration confirming their impartiality and reporting any conflicts of interest.
  • Feedback from stakeholders: Input from certified persons, customers, and regulatory bodies will be sought to identify any concerns related to impartiality.

4.2 Management of Conflicts of Interest

  • The QMSAI implements the following measures to manage conflicts of interest:
  • Separation of activities: Certification personnel involved in decision-making must be independent of those involved in assessment and training.
  • No involvement in consultancy: The QMSAI does not provide consultancy services to candidates or organizations seeking certification. Additionally, any staff or subcontractors involved in consultancy are prohibited from participating in the certification decision-making process.
  • Rotation of assessors: Where possible, different assessors or examiners are rotated to avoid familiarity with candidates.
  • Supplier and partner impartiality: Suppliers or partners who may have a vested interest in certification outcomes are excluded from the certification decision process

4.3 Impartiality Committee

  • The QMSAI establishes an Impartiality Committee composed of stakeholders who represent a balanced set of interests. This committee’s responsibilities include:
  • Reviewing impartiality risks: The committee reviews risks identified by the QMSAI and ensures that appropriate actions are taken to mitigate them.
  • Overseeing certification decisions: The committee monitors the certification decision-making process to ensure that it remains independent, impartial, and free of any conflicts of interest.
  • Reviewing complaints and appeals: The committee has the authority to investigate complaints and appeals related to impartiality and make recommendations.

4.4 Mitigation of Risks to Impartiality

  • The QMSAI has implemented the following actions to mitigate impartiality risks:
  • Conflict of interest declarations: All personnel involved in certification activities are required to declare any potential conflicts of interest annually or whenever a situation arises that may compromise impartiality.
  • Regular training: Personnel involved in certification activities are trained on the importance of impartiality, how to identify conflicts of interest, and the procedures to follow in case of potential impartiality issues.
  • Independent decision-making: Certification decisions are made by individuals who were not involved in the assessment of the candidate. This ensures that the decision is based solely on objective evidence.

4.5 Impartiality Risk Review and Continuous Improvement

  • The QMSAI reviews its impartiality procedures and practices annually, or when significant changes occur, to ensure ongoing compliance with ISO/IEC 17024:2012 and to identify opportunities for improvement.
  • Internal audits: Impartiality is included in the scope of internal audits to verify that the procedures are effectively implemented.
  • Management review: The impartiality risks and the effectiveness of this procedure are reviewed during management review meetings.

4.6 Corrective Actions for Impartiality Breaches

  • If a breach of impartiality is identified, corrective actions will be implemented as follows:
  • Investigation: A thorough investigation will be conducted to determine the cause of the breach.
  • Corrective action plan: A corrective action plan will be established to address the cause of the impartiality breach and prevent its recurrence.
  • Notification: If necessary, affected parties (such as candidates or certified persons) will be notified about the breach and the actions being taken to rectify the situation.

5. Records

  • The following records will be maintained:
  • Impartiality declarations from personnel.
  • Impartiality risk assessments.
  • Minutes of impartiality committee meetings.
  • Records of investigations and corrective actions related to impartiality breaches.
  • Complaints and appeals related to impartiality.

6. References

  • ISO/IEC 17024:2012 Clause 4.3 – Impartiality
  • ISO/IEC 17024:2012 Clause 5.2 – Risk Management

7. Review and Update

  • This procedure will be reviewed annually or whenever significant changes occur in the QMSAI’s structure, processes, or external environment to ensure that it remains effective in maintaining impartiality.
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