W.S.cert: Declaration of impartiality and independence

To safeguard the objectivity of certification activities, W.S.cert regularly and proactively analyses potential conflicts of interest (e.g. involving certification body personnel, assessors, shareholders and related bodies).

Potential threats to impartiality are analysed both regularly and when the situation requires it, for example before each assessment. Any threats identified are documented and eliminated or minimised.

W.S.cert and other parts of the same legal entity do not provide consultancy within the meaning of DIN EN ISO/IEC 17065 or conduct internal audits for customers.

W.S.cert has no ownership interests in companies that provide consultancy, nor does it cooperate with such companies in its certification activities. W.S.cert also makes no recommendations for consultancy services or consultants.

W.S.cert safeguards the impartiality of certification processes by organisationally separating assessment activities from evaluation and decision-making activities.

Responsibility for granting, maintaining, renewing, extending, reducing, suspending or withdrawing certificates or certification marks rests solely with the W.S.cert certification body.

W.S.cert handles certification activities in the order in which applications are received. No party involved in the certification process receives preferential or unfavourable treatment with regard to timing or substance.

W.S.cert does not outsource any certification services to other organisations, with the exception of using contracted external assessors. W.S.cert does not provide in-house training for a single client, even if it does not provide certification services for that client.

W.S.cert analyses its relationships with other bodies to which assessments are outsourced and with related bodies. The aim is to identify potential conflicts of interest in certification and to identify bodies and activities that could compromise confidentiality, objectivity or impartiality without appropriate controls.

Professional autonomy and protection from influence: The shareholders of W.S.cert undertake not to exert any commercial or disciplinary pressure on the company’s management, the head of the certification body or its employees that could compromise the impartiality and independence of certification activities. They declare that the head of the certification body is free from instructions on technical matters concerning certification processes.

Commitment to impartial conduct: The shareholders, top management and employees of W.S. Werkstoff Service, as well as external assessors, undertake to act impartially, to remain unaffected by commercial, financial or other pressure and not to engage in any other employment alongside their certification work that could compromise their impartiality in certification.

They also confirm that they have not provided consultancy to the organisation whose certification they are involved in during the previous two years.

Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest: The shareholders, top management and employees of W.S.cert, as well as external assessors, undertake to disclose any situation known to them that could expose them or the certification body to conflicts of interest and thus jeopardise the certification body’s impartiality and independence.

Monitoring compliance: Compliance with the declaration of impartiality is monitored by the certification body’s steering committee.