Confidentiality:

All certification activities ensure full confidentiality of their applicant’s confidential material or information held by the OSMS. Each applicant file are maintained separately system wise and no comparison shall be made by OSMS personnel between findings of audits in one applicant to those of another/system. All personnel who may gain access to confidential information are bound by a legally enforceable confidentiality agreement not to disclose any information considered to be confidential by the applicant without written agreement of the applicant and to take the utmost care in filing and handling of confidential information. Whenever it is required to release the confidential information required by law or authorized by contractual agreement, the client or individual concern shall, unless prohibited by law, be notified of the information provided. Information about the client from sources other than the client shall be treated as confidential. The confidential information shall be under the custody of authorized person to secure its confidentiality.

All team leaders and auditors are bound by a code of professional ethics which, together with contractual arrangements with each individual, remains in force at all times. All personnel including external auditing personnel are required to keep all information confidential, particularly from fellow employees and from their other employers. OSMS has a legally enforceable agreement with all clients, committees, auditors, personnel and managers that ensures confidentiality with regard to information obtained or created during certification activities. These agreements explain the requirements for keeping information confidential.

The contracts by and between OSMS, its client and auditors, outlines and describes the requirements for disclosures and consents.During on-site audit activities, auditors are required to explain the OSMS process and confirm that they have a confidentiality agreement on record with OSMS.

 

Impartiality:

Ozone Sustainability Management Systems (OSMS) declares that it will comply with the requirements of and ensure impartiality within all its certification activities for all the personnel related to the activities.The confidentiality, objectivity and impartiality of the certification activities by and on behalf of OSMS, shall not be affected by the activities of the certified clients.

  • To Show effective Implementation of policy OSMS will not provide and allow the Following Consultancy services for realization, continuity and sustenance of certification.
  • OSMS identifies, analyzes and documents all possibilities for conflict of interests that emerge from certification processes including any conflicts that emerge from its relations.
  • When certain relations create unacceptable impartiality threat, then the certification shall not be conducted. OSMS shall not certify another certification body for its activities related to management system certification.
  • When potential impartiality threat arises OSMS eliminates it or decreases it. This process is also controlled by the impartiality committee.
  • OSMS shall not certify own group companies (if there are such companies) or organizations that OSMS is a part of or a member.
  • Personnel, who have provided consultancy (including internal audits) within three years to the organization seeking certification, are not allowed to take part in audit or other certification activities.
  • OSMS shall not provide internal audits for its certified clients. OSMS shall not certify a management system for which it has conducted internal audits within three years following the end of the internal audits.
  • OSMS shall not provide certification services to a client when relations between the Consultancy Company and OSMS for a minimum of three years following the end of the consultancy.
  • OSMS shall not outsource audits to a management system consultancy organization as this poses an unacceptable threat to the impartiality of the certification body. This does not apply to individuals contracted as auditors or technical experts.
  • OSMS does not receive any financial support different from the invested in it and the fees of its services.
  • OSMS does not pay any commissions to consultants therefore there can be no pressure exercised on OSMS by consultants.
  • OSMS shall not allow any pressure from other certification bodies to influence the certification process in the organization.
  • OSMS shall not allow pressure from clients and/or consultancy organizations.
  • OSMS shall not allow pressure from employees and/or related persons.
  • All employees are obliged to work in compliance with requirements of ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015 and as per agreement of contract.
  • The OSMS shall take action to respond to any threats to its impartiality arising from the actions of other persons, bodies or organizations.
  • Top management of OSMS is committed to full compliance with this declaration.