Management of Impartiality Policy
Through this impartiality policy, and the processes described in QAP-008 Management of Impartiality, Fearnley Procter Certification FZCO aim to ensure continued impartiality, independence and transparency during all quality management system certification activities. We as an organisation understand the importance of impartiality and the threats it poses to our business should our position be compromised and are committed to safeguarding and protecting the integrity of this policy at all times. We shall continue to identify, analyse, evaluate, monitor and document the potential for conflicts of interest arising from provision of quality management certification activities.
Fearnley Procter Certification FZCO shall not:
- Provide certification where cases of unacceptable threats to impartiality cannot be eliminated
- Certify another certification body for its quality management system
- Provide any type of quality management system consultancy services which may present a conflict of interest
- Promote the activities of any particular consultancy body or organisation
- Enter into a relationship or agreement with any management system consultancy body or organisation.
- Offer or provide services related to internal audit to its certified clients and shall not certify a management system on which it provided internal audits for a minimum of two (2) years after the completion of the internal audits
- Provide certification to clients who have received management system consultancy in last two (2) years from a body that has relationship with Fearnley Procter Certification FZCO
- Outsource audits to a management system consultancy organisation or be linked to an organisation that provides management system consultancy
- Market or offer activities that are linked with activities of an organisation that provides management system consultancy
- State or imply certification would be simpler, easier, faster and less expensive if a specified consulting organization was used.
Fearnley Procter Certification FZCO will take action to correct any false, or inappropriate links or claims by a management system consultancy organisation that states or implies certification will be simpler, easier, faster and less expensive if Fearnley Procter Certification FZCO certification services were used. In order to remove any conflict of interest, audit staff are prohibited from participating in the audit of any organisation where they have provided management system consultancy, internal audits, assisted in document preparation or have any financial or commercial interest for a period of two (2) years prior to the date of application of the organisation for certification. Fearnley Procter Certification FZCO will take action to respond to any threats to its impartiality arising from actions of other persons, bodies or organisations.
Fearnley Procter Certification FZCO shall ensure that all its personnel, internal or external, or committees, who could influence the certification activities, shall act impartially and shall not allow commercial, financial or other pressures to compromise this impartiality. All direct employees and subcontractors who perform audits shall sign and submit confidentiality agreements and conflict of interest forms prior to participating in each audit. We shall not use any personnel for certification activities unless it has been confirmed and documented that there is no conflict of interest.
Fearnley Procter Certification FZCO periodically reviews the conformance with impartiality requirement as per ISO 17021:2015 to verify that no conflicts exist due to any business relationships.