Accreditation
Impartiality Policy
Our commitment
Impartiality at every level
At the Accreditation Body of North America (ACBNA), impartiality is a fundamental principle that guides all accreditation activities and decisions. ACBNA is committed to maintaining independence, objectivity, transparency, and integrity throughout the accreditation process.
All ACBNA personnel, including top management, committee members, assessors, technical experts, and external personnel involved in accreditation activities, are expected to understand the importance of impartiality, identify and manage potential conflicts of interest, and perform their responsibilities without undue influence or bias.
ACBNA recognizes that threats to impartiality may arise from financial, commercial, organizational, personal, or other relationships. Accordingly, ACBNA is committed to identifying, analyzing, evaluating, treating, monitoring, and documenting risks to impartiality on an ongoing basis.
To safeguard impartiality at every level, ACBNA is committed to the following principles:
How impartiality is safeguarded
- 1Identify risk
- 2Analyze & document
- 3Apply safeguards
- 4Independent decision
- 5Review & improve
Core principles
Seven commitments that guide our work
Independence and Objectivity
Ensuring that all accreditation activities and decisions are conducted independently, objectively, and without improper influence.
Conflict of Interest Management
Identifying, disclosing, evaluating, and effectively managing actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest.
Fair and Non-Discriminatory Treatment
Providing accreditation services fairly and consistently to all eligible conformity assessment bodies.
Impartial Accreditation Decisions
Ensuring accreditation decisions are based on objective evidence, demonstrated competence, and applicable accreditation requirements.
Freedom from Undue Influence
Protecting accreditation activities and personnel from commercial, financial, political, or other pressures that could compromise impartiality.
Personnel Accountability
Requiring all personnel involved in accreditation activities to maintain impartiality, disclose relevant relationships, and comply with ACBNA's impartiality policies and procedures.
Continuous Monitoring and Improvement
Regularly reviewing impartiality risks and the effectiveness of measures implemented to safeguard the integrity and credibility of accreditation activities.
ACBNA places impartiality, integrity, and professional excellence at the heart of its accreditation activities. By upholding rigorous standards of fairness, transparency, and independent judgment, ACBNA is dedicated to delivering credible and consistent accreditation services that inspire trust and confidence among conformity assessment bodies, regulatory authorities, industry stakeholders, and the wider public.
Key protection
Safeguarding impartiality
All ACBNA personnel, including management, assessors, technical experts, committee members, and individuals involved in accreditation decisions, are required to sign binding confidentiality, impartiality, and conflict-of-interest agreements.
Our commitment
These agreements require personnel to disclose actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest and to remain free from commercial, financial, personal, or other undue influences that could compromise the independence, objectivity, and integrity of accreditation activities.
ACBNA implements measures to identify, evaluate, manage, and monitor impartiality risks, ensuring that assessments and accreditation decisions are conducted fairly, independently, and based on objective evidence.
Trust in our independence
Every accreditation decision is made objectively and independently, giving you full confidence in our assessments.