Impartiality Policy

1. Purpose

This policy defines how QSI identifies, evaluates and controls threats to impartiality in management-system certification, food-safety certification and related conformity-assessment services.

The policy is intended for clients, auditors, reviewers, decision makers, committee members and interested parties who rely on QSI certificates.

2. Impartiality commitments

Certification decisions are based on objective audit evidence, competent review and documented certification rules.

QSI does not allow commercial targets, client pressure, ownership interests, consultancy relationships, familiarity, intimidation or self-review threats to influence audit conclusions or certification decisions.

3. Threat identification and controls

Potential conflicts are reviewed before accepting work and whenever personnel, scope, ownership, subcontracting or client relationships change.

Controls may include personnel rotation, independent technical review, withdrawal from an assignment, committee review, disclosure to the client, or refusal of work where threats cannot be reduced to an acceptable level.

• Auditors do not audit their own consultancy or implementation work.
• Decision makers are independent from the audit they are deciding.
• Personnel must declare financial, family, employment or advisory interests before assignment.

4. Oversight and escalation

Top management is responsible for impartiality safeguards and for ensuring certification personnel can raise concerns without retaliation.

Unresolved impartiality threats are escalated for independent review and recorded with the action taken.