COMPANY POLICY
- Ensure Impartiality And Independence Is Applied Throughout The Audit And Certification Process.
- Provide Total Confidentiality To Clients And Prospective Clients At All Times.
- Provide A Consistent Approach To All Audits.
- Ensure Audit Teams Employ A Practical Common-Sense Approach Based On Experience And Technical Expertise.
- Operate A Professional Service, Which Is Approachable And Accessible At All Levels To Clients And Potential Clients.
- Maintain An Efficient And Cost Effective Service, Resulting In Low Cost Certification With High Maintenance Of Standards.
- Provide A Full Package Of Services And Able To Offer A One Stop Shop For Certification Services.
- Provide Confidence To Accreditation Authorities That AJA EQS Can At All Time Comply With Their Accreditation Requirements.
- Ensure That AJA EQS Do Not Practice Any Form Of Discrimination, Such As Hidden Discrimination By Speeding Up Or Delaying Of Applications.
- Process All Applications Unconditionally And Without Bias.
- Ensure Supplementary Assessment Information Is Limited To An Outline Of The Assessment Process And Does Not Include Guidance On The Application And Implementation Of The Relevant Standard.
CONFIDENTIALITY POLICY
The importance of treating the information obtained during the audit process in the strictest confidence is fully recognised and appreciated by AJA EQS. It is therefore a primary objective of AJA EQS to ensure that confidentiality is maintained at all times to meet this objective:
On the first day of commencement of employment, new staff shall be issued with a copy of the “Impartiality Policy”; the “Confidentiality Policy”; the “AJA EQS stated undertaking” and the “AJA EQS Staff Undertaking” in order to emphasize the confidential nature of AJA EQS services and instructs them in the implementation of the confidentiality policy.
IMPARTIALITY POLICY
The Following Controls Shall Be Implemented; Maintained And Complied With By All Audit And Certification Personnel To Ensure We Achieve This Objective.
- Audit Personnel Are Prohibited From Participating In The Audit Of Any Organization To Which They Have Given Assistance, By Consultancy, Internal Audit Or Training, (Other Than Professionally Registered Auditor Training) Or Where They Have Any Financial Or Commercial Interest For A Minimum Period Of 2 Years Prior To The Date Of Application Of The Organization For Registration.
- When Allocated To A Particular Contract, Audit Personnel Shall Not Disclose Or Discuss Any Detail; Before Or After The Audit; To Any Member Of Staff Other Than His Direct Management Or Other Members Of The Team, As Required By The Secrecy / Non-Disclosure Agreement Signed On Commencement Of Employment.
- All Subcontracted Audit Personnel Or Sector Specialists Used To Support Permanent Staff Of AJA EQS, Shall Sign A “Sub-Contract Agreement” And A “Secrecy Non Disclosure Agreement” On Being Entered Into The Live Contract Personnel Listing.
- AJA EQS Direct Employees Are Prohibited From Engaging In Consultancy Activities, Which Involve The Active Design, Generation Or Implementation Of A Quality And Environmental Management System.
- All Directly Employed Management And Staff Are Required To Declare All Financial Interests Or Business Activities On Commencement And During The Period Of Employment.
- AJA EQS Staff Or Contract Personnel Shall Not Suggest Or Imply To Imply That Certification Would Be Simpler, Easier Or Less Expensive If Consultancy Or Training Services Were Used. In Addition Contract Personnel Staff Cannot Offer Consultancy Or Training Services To AJA EQS Clients That They Have Been Assigned To Audit During Or After The Assigned Task Has Been Completed.
All Personnel Either 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 Impartiality. The Necessary Action Will Be Taken When Such Personnel Breach This Agreement.
Revision 1 – 21 January 2008