Impartiality Policy

The impartiality Policy of the AQC defines that the Management of AQC understands the importance of impartiality in carrying out its management system certification activities, manages conflict of interest, and ensures the objectivity of its management system certification activities.

AQC has the Impartiality policy as

1. AQC (including its staff, auditors, subcontractors, and Franchisee Partners) shall not participate in the designing, implementation, or maintenance (including Internal Audit) of the management systems of its Certification customers and shall not have been engaged in such activities in the two years before the client’s receipt of AQC Certification services.

2. AQC embarks on its responsibility to inculcate confidence in the delivery of its Certification services to customers and parties that have an interest in Certification. This shall be achieved by upholding the principles of impartiality (including taking action against threats, i.e. from self-interest, self-review, familiarity, intimidation), competence, responsibility, openness, confidentiality, and responsiveness to complaints.

3. In the management of impartiality, AQC recognizes the possibilities for conflicts of interest arising from relationships of those persons or organizations having an interface with AQC. This includes staff, sub-contractors, and agents. AQC undertakes to complete a thorough assessment of the risks and the residual risks to impartiality and to determine the action to be taken to eliminate or minimize those risks. The risk assessment process will be ongoing and will maintain overall operations, services of AQC, and the associated Management Review process.

4. AQC Certifications is committed to providing and maintaining a high quality, professional, and impartial service as agreed for certifying clients’ management systems that meet the requirements of all the relevant international, national, and or other standards and or regulations normative documents and specifications as required by the accreditation authorities.

5. The top management of AQC has the ultimate authority and responsibility to ensure the effective operation of the AQC management system by ensuring the appropriate resources are available and deployed.

6. All personnel involved in the Certification operations are committed to understanding this policy, complying with the principles and documentation, and maintaining continued competence.