Introduction
We respond to an accreditation – recognition platform / system of higher purpose authoritatively carrying a legal instrument to protect communities and consumers throughout its worldwide jurisdictions. This accreditation responds to a trilogy of highest authorities of the land. To this effect, impartiality needs to respond through policies that commence in values, mission and vision for a legally binding purpose. In addition, BRSM addresses the requirements of ISO/IEC 17021#- in adherence to local accreditation programs.
Independence (Impartiality)
This is a complement document to MANUAL referring to our exclusive Professionals chosen to participate within activities that encompass assessments for recommending certification-registration, including management staff must be free from any commercial, financial, and other pressures that may influence the results (resulting in conflict of interest). In collaboration through policies, BRSM, Q & A PM (Quality Manager) ,branch offices, ascertain that assessment team members are free from conflict of interest, applies equally to the MD and Q & A PM when conducting assessment,
Organization and Structure
While operating through world regions our organization structure satisfy the expectations for certification-registration activities by carrying out operations in a manner consistent with the requirements invoked for accreditation under international standards and relevant guidance documents.
Committee for Safeguarding Impartiality has been established by the CEO to ensure impartiality in the structure and functioning of the committee, The CEO sits in the committee meetings as a non- voting member to provide required information and to implement the decisions taken by the Impartiality Committee
Objectivity in assessing, concluding, and processing recommendation for certification-registration is integral to certification-registration as well as certification of professional assessors and technical experts. This is carried by; (1) selection of an assessment team for which there is no conflict of interest with the prospect / client-organization (to be assess, Independent protocol to evaluate and decide on the assessment team recommendation and that to ascertain and maintain impartiality – independence is through a three (3) basis structure;, BRSM (MD, Q & APM, Regional Directors
- Policy and “jewels” (Colours – Values of BRSM) [Management + BRSM (core members)]
- Decision on Certification-Registration (BRSM in addressing procedures committee of impartiality
- Assessments (Management and Professional assessors and technical experts)
Our concepts provide for impartially and competency to review and grant certification-registration, equally, independent, branch offices in collaboration with BRSM provides impartiality and objectivity through a competent body of professionals, Interaction of branch offices and BRSM provides guidance and competence as these relate to the scope of our activities and serve as custodian of our mission and values.
(a) Upon recommendation by an assessment team granting certification-registration requires reviewing and approval by (1) BRSM (Management) and (2) Designees totally independent to the assessment conducted, and finalized by the BRS Managing director. This refers to that the final decision on granting of registration resides with BRSM in cooperation with Branches in the person of the MD. Maintaining certification-registration is carryout by a surveillance protocol that is not to exceed 12 months, preferably 9 months – no organization is to be third (3rd) Party assessed more than 3 times annually. The basis for reassessment and extending certification-registration is on assessment – valuations when the 3-year minimum contractual assessment is up and that the histories of assessment are favorable and that significant changes have not occurred. Significant changes occurring, reduction of surveillance is on the basis of the results of the assessments, client-organization effectiveness in taking action, maturity of the management system, and magnitude of the significance of the changes, matters of the use of logo-mark, suspension and withdrawal / cancellation of certification-registration takes effect under the following conditions:
- Client-organization own decision to withdraw,
- Client-organization not effectively addressing request for action, after two surveillance assessment visits,
- Client-organization denying access to assessment team to premises, processes or activities, after programmed and acceptance by client-organization management; these activities must construe to be significant in nature and to the management system,
- Significant changes occurring within the client-organization bearing over the scope of the activity including branding, validation and certification-registration without notifying us such that precludes to schedule planning and realization of the management system assessment (surveillance and/or reassessment),
- Denial of records and documents within the scope of certification-registration to the assessment team
The information expressed herein has is also been equivalently expressed in TBA.
(c) Our management structure for effectiveness, impartiality and competence means:
o Performing assessments is the responsibility of the assigned assessment team under branch offices management supervision/BRSM. Technical Manager selects the assessment team from exclusive Professional Assessors and Technical Experts. The assessment team includes at least one GlobalNet Professional (Professional implies BRSM qualified and certified or otherwise at inclusion stage) with knowledge and understanding of the technical activities of the organization (prospect or client). The assessment team follows our protocols of activities including certification-registration as set-forth within the MANUAL and procedural manuals.
o Branch offices are responsible for the implementation of its mission (policy) and procedures that BRSM carries over. The principles and mission by which we operate, specifically on matters of ethics and integrity. Accreditation oversees the same for inclusion and certification of professional assessors and technical experts as part of accreditation to attest professional competence,
o The decision for certification-registration resides with BRSM (inclusion qualification and certification of our exclusive professional assessors and as determined technical experts). The assessment team submits to branch offices and then circulate through BRSM – the result / recommendation (or not to recommend) for certification-registration. Branch offices with BRSM management ascertains that documentation and information is adequate as completed .our designee evaluates, and as deemed necessary inquires on issues relevant to the assessment team. The designees can study each designee response. BRSM designee vote of impartiality of assessment team recommendation.
o Branch Offices (overseen by BRSM head manager – Q & APM and Officers of the Corporation, as appropriate) supervises the implementation of policies and procedures for MANUAL operations, specifically addressing mission, .branch offices oversees the operational activities, administrative, finances and legal obligations of our region and perhaps with the assistance of external accounting firm.
o Branch offices is responsible for the finances of the corporation with the support of an independent accountant firm which reviews accounting-finances and prepares submission of formulation as requires by law.
Based on MANUAL, the document describing the responsibility of BRSM
Note: As business grows, the organizational structure may demand for other bodies to assist in maintaining impartiality and objectivity for the services. It will be at such time that management and Board of Officers will review its organizational structure and change as deemed necessary.
(d) Branch offices are registered in different regions. BRSM, assures that corporate documents (certificate of incorporation and others) and articles of incorporation, are under the custody of Managing Director / Corporate Officer and Officers are shared as needed by the regions.
(e) Pictography in appendix “A” (organizational charting) of the MANUAL presents operational / organizational structure. The organizational / operational structure establishes such as pursuing and sustaining objectivity, ethics and integrity of the services provided and meeting expectation by the accreditation platform. The MANUAL presents the document safeguarding impartiality of activities including certification-registration system.
Maintaining competence and objectivity for activities including granting certification-registration is achieved through branch offices as part of QoR and BRSM, in fulfilling accreditation – recognition requirements. It is the responsibility of management to identify, implement, and maintain our mission, operational policies, and procedures under the oversight of BRSM.
(f) Deciding to issue a certificate of registration (CoR) and maintaining objectivity-independence resides with the supervision of BRSM Technical Manager over branch offices through recommendations of delegates by its review in addressing activities that convey initial recommendation from the assessment team (Form-010): branch offices CEO, when performing assessment to a specific organization must exclude itself from the decision to grant certification.
(g) Whilst the TBA expresses obligations and responsibilities, branch offices has the responsibility to accept inquiries and sending questionnaire (Form-001), submittal of quotes (Form-003), and proceed to the certification-registration protocol through assessments in a non-discriminatorily manner. After completion of assessment, QoR designees’ reviews the recommendation from assessment team to decide on recommendation toward the MD granting a certificate of registration
(h) Since inception branch offices has been in the “black” (Implying free of debt and solvency of a registrar commencing operations) If there is a need for additional financial resources for maintaining business stability we carry options of sources to tap from (1) line of credits, (2) Investment from the business community, and/or the possibility of (3) issuance of corporate shares for a fair market price. Providing activities with financial stability to operate the basis for financial strategy is on a variable cost with a minimum fixed-cost level is our aim. Thereof, our cost-of-sales varies accordingly to revenues creating a true relational variable-expense scheme, whilst maintaining fix-cost to the lowest level and allowing maintaining image and prestige of the our logo-mark and providing the resources to assess prospect / client-organizations.
(i) Our incorporation, hence has maintained effective practices of expenses minimizing fix-cost and thus safeguarding revenues. Thereof, our management teams compose of the vital minimum necessary to carry its activities effectively and efficiently. Branch offices, in which we integrate highly competent professionals. Branch offices and QoR collaborate together with branch offices. Highly competent implies that its professionals meet or exceed expectations from its client-organization based on education, training, technical knowledge, experience and interpersonal communication skills (and relevant to market expectations acceptable to accreditation as set forth by ISO/IEC 17021) in addressing a legally binding purpose. For each professional that conducts activities of assessments we retain records of their competence through the activities themselves. Job descriptions are available for review as deemed necessary toward a given specialty field; On the basis of the CV provided, our Professionals are presented to the prospect / client organization through a short one-page “bio” (BIO). Further, we retain information on professionals and technical experts, and available upon request. Document-manual addressing ISO/IEC 17024 accreditation, RIMG address the qualifications and requirements for conducting assessments
Note: There shall not be financial remuneration to professionals conducting assessments other than the compensation agreed. We are treat professionals’ fair and courteous exceeding market level benefits.
(j) As previously expressed, we operate its certification-registration protocol based on MANUAL and based on the competencies of our professionals.
(k) Our business activity is certification-registration against international standards and schemes [and at times public training]. In the eventuality of that this scope changes, as expressed in this Manual, we will promptly notify BRSM after reviewing its practices and methods and transposing these into documents and concurrent with implementation
(m) Through our activities we grant / award certificate of registration through the recommendation of professional designees and following procedures such to ascertain that the decisions are free from commercial and financial pressures. Management does not involve itself in activities construed as conflict of interest thus maintaining conflict of interest free operations.
(n) Our operational and administrative structure includes branch offices collaboration with BRSM, which works in collaborative effort with management and both are free from commercial, financial, and other pressures that may adversely affect the impartiality to provide certification-registration. Branch offices comprises of persons competent in their respective fields from across different disciplines, global regions and industry sectors, and that understand the accreditation and assessment process such that the probability of pressures or conflict of interest is consider null. In branch offices based on BRSM concept no one single interest predominates for reason noted prior
branch offices and well as BRSM is structured in such manner that its members (QoR) propitiate a balanced of different interest and regions, and that no single interest or regions prevails / dominates
(o) TBA, “Terms of Business Agreement” references our commitment to confidentiality – based on the nature of the composition of branch offices supervised BRSM operational practices and arrangements with exclusive Professionals, protection of information and confidentiality is held utmost important and in high esteem. Professional assessors and technical experts sign a Contract-At-Will (CAW) agreement that invokes a confidentiality clause. No other members is require signing a CAW, we communicate and express confidentiality through e-chats, e-meeting, personal visits from BRSM; establishing BRSM that is with the objective to oversee ethics and integrity of our brand.
We do not engage in consultancy services with professionals to the standard and scheme under which is to provide certification-registration,
Thereof, reiterating context within the “Introduction” clause, in activities, which includes and are not construe as consultancy, include:
- Meeting with prospect or client organization to plan, assess, review documents with the intent to certification-registration;
- Providing general information on management system scheme under which we provide service activities;
- We may provide activities of readiness, for certification, validation, inspection and branding we refer to pre-assessment, for the purpose aiming solemnly in providing information to a prospect / client-organization on their level of implementation in addressing “what”, not how”;
- Performing second or third party assessments to regulatory affair practices based scheme than those within specific scope of accreditation which includes ISO/IEC 17021-1, other IAF/AB requirements and internal application of ISO/IEC 17024 accreditation to carry the activities of management systems based regulatory requirements,
- Adding-Value-Assessment (A-V-A) during initial or surveillance assessments, A-V-A identifies opportunities for improvement and effective utilization of whichever benchmark we address to control and improve on matters of competitiveness and / or reduction of risk (environmental, legal and others) for the protection of communities and consumers, as these rise from the activity. A-V-A implies not to suggest or recommend to the “how” for specific solutions but to show a path toward update and perhaps improve business performance.
The manual address the issue of complaints and appeals (received by prospect-organization or client-organization). In addition, the concern of other parties relevant to the prospect-organization or client-organization certification-registration and the protocol followed on these relational matters, TBA invokes considering the nature of the activities of prospect / client-organization and even complaints from concern parties and stakeholders specially communities and consumers.
Reiterating – Certification-registration services are the main basis of resources for sustaining our activities.
The fee structure is on competitive basis to equivalent services within the regions chosen to compete whilst abiding to ISO/IEC 17021and other appropriate guidelines documents.
General public access is through the Internet web portal which indicates that our sole source of income is registration services, we engage in second party assessment, and we provide training and certification of our professionals only. Thereof, we maintain financial independence from groups as for special interest, associations, and any other group that may adversely affect impartiality.
Behavior (Ethics) of Assessment Team and Members – The assessment team will limit the assessment activities to investigate, examine, and inquire on the prospect / client-organization conforming to the applicable criteria (relating to specific Forms -001 and -003). In doing so, assessors, will make use of relevant criteria documents, scope relating to documents (including standards, descriptions of methodology, diagrams…) and generally accepted interpretations.
As noted in (o), assessors or technical experts will not accept gifts, presents or any other concessions, items or else that construe as gratification such that does not compromise their impartiality and objectivity in deciding outcome. Assessors and technical experts must follow safety and health guidelines set forth by the organization under assessment
Formal rules for the appointment, terms of reference and operation and Competency characteristics of Impartiality Board members are described in Table for Impartiality Board Member Competencies. The committee selects and invites its members based on competencies indicated in table of Impartiality Board Member Competencies. Members will continue to work in the committee until they are no thread to impartiality or they voluntarily resign from the committee, following any members severance the committee employs a new member, the number of members must be odd the total number of independent appointed representatives to appear at each convening is determined by quorum of 51%. Impartial committee meets at least annually.
The Governing Board is responsible for removal and appointment of its members. The composition of the Board ensures impartiality.
Responsibilities of Impartiality Committee;
- Review and accept policies that relate to impartiality for certification activities,
- Review recommendations to certification for impartiality matters,
- Counteract any tendency to allow commercial or other considerations to prevent consistent objective provision of certification activities,
- Advise on matters affecting confidence in certification, including openness and public perception in accordance to the law, and
- Participate in the review of management activities, and
- Consider other tasks or duties subject to there being no threat to the Board’s role to ensure impartiality.
The committee has the power by Corporate Officer/CEO to partake action in the eventuality that Head Management or Technical Manager does not adhere to decisions of the Governing Board. If the CB does not take satisfactory action the Impartiality committee is authorized to raise the issue before regulatory authorities.