The Q Impartiality Policy

The Q Impartiality Policy

THE Q is the legal entity responsible for certification activities. This Policy and Public Statement refers the mechanism followed by THE Q for its Impartial Certification activities. THE Q’s Top Management, Managers and Staff fully understand the importance of impartiality and ensures in undertaking its certification activities. THE Q is structured and managed in a way to safeguard its impartiality through having independent impartiality committee, and separation of all related interested parties in certification activities in terms of activity operations and decisions. To ensure the implementation of effectiveness of practices for safeguarding impartiality, following measures has been taken by THE Q.

  • THE Q Certificates are only issued once independent evaluation and review followed checked by independent authorized and impartial competent members committee to ensure that no interest shall prevail.
  • THE Q is not the designer, manufacturer, installer, distributer or maintainer of the product; Service, Process intended to be certified
  • THE Q does not offer (and has never offered) management system consultancy or any other form of consultancy to companies or individuals.
  • THE Q does not receive any financial support different from the invested in it and the fees of its services
  • THE Q does not outsource audits to a management system consultancy organization.
  • THE Q does not have (and will not form) any relationships with companies who offer consultancy, internal audit services.
  • Any current relationships with companies, organizations and individuals will be risk assessed on a regular basis to ensure that the relationship does not impact upon the impartiality of the certification process. The risk assessment will be undertaken by the Committee for Impartiality.
  • Individuals employed or Subcontracted by THE Q are required to document and record their current and past relationships with all companies. Any situation past or present which may present a potential conflict of interest is required by THE Q to be declared. THE Q will use the information to identify any threats to impartiality and will not use that individual in any capacity unless they can demonstrate that there is no conflict of interest. The risk assessment will be undertaken by the Committee for Impartiality
  • THE Q will not allocate a member of staff or sub-contractor to a management system audit where any past relationship has existed. Exceptionally and at the discretion of the Operations Manager or Top Management an individual or subcontractor may be allocated to a management system audit where a past relationship has existed but there has been no relationship for a minimum of 2 years.
  • Each Employee of THE Q will undergo validation for no conflict at least once
  • THE Q ensures that all certification Services and activities are promoted and marketed independently not linked to any other services whether it is consultation, testing, or any other services that might be needed by clients.
  • All employees will be reviewed at least annually to ensure that they remain impartial when conducting audits.

All personnel of THE Q are committed to full compliance with this declaration. All personnel of THE Q including its Top Managements, Staff and Subcontractors are required to complete and sign the compliance of no conflict of interest, non-Disclosure agreement and codes of ethics policy document.

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