Process
Impartiality and independence
A certificate is only as credible as the independence of those who issue it.
Separation of consultancy and certification
- Sertiva does not provide consultancy for building management systems.
- Anyone involved in implementing a system is excluded from its audit and certification decision.
- Personal or commercial relationships are disclosed and assessed before each engagement.
Separation of audit and decision
The auditor does not decide whether the certificate is issued. The report is independently reviewed by a separate function that may request further evidence or suspend the decision.
Impartiality committee
An independent committee monitors our impartiality arrangements. Its perspectives include certified organisations, management-system experts and auditors, with no single interest group able to dominate.
- Assessment of conflicts of interest
- Review of role-separation controls
- Input on appeals
- Challenge of decisions that threaten impartiality
Risk assessment
Before every project, we assess former business relationships, personal connections and economic dependencies. If a risk cannot be controlled effectively, we decline the engagement.
If you have concerns
You can formally challenge a decision you believe was not impartial. The process is open to you and free of charge.