Impartiality Policy
1. SCOPE
This Policy specifies the forms of objective evidence, by which the proof of impartiality in the context of the accreditation process is provided by PAC decision making members, assessors, authorized persons, staff, where applicable, during the accreditation process.
2. POLICY
PAC concept of impartiality
PAC safeguards the impartiality of its activities through the structure of its council and all of its committees that ensures a balanced representation of interested parties and provides the opportunity for their effective involvement.
3. TERMS AND DEFINITIONS
# Impartiality:
"Presence of objectivity", also conveyed by independence, freedom from conflict of
interest, freedom from bias, lack of prejudice, neutrality, fairness, open-mindedness, evenhandedness, detachment and balance.
# Decision making members:
Personnel who are members in technical committees and responsible for CAB technical
recommendation or who are members in accreditation committee and responsible for CAB
decision making to determine its status and granting accreditation.
# Assessors:
Personnel who implement assessment process for CABs starting with document review, on
sight assessment and witnessing.
# Staff:
Personnel who work at PAC technical relative departments to review the relative
assessment process documents and may conduct assessment according to their
competency.
4. PAC policy on impartiality with interested parties
The oregano gram of PAC confirms its relationship among the governmental organizations which some of them are considered related bodies. These related bodies shall not perform any of the activities "Services" for which PAC have been tied to perform in accordance with accreditation, however they may have conformity assessment bodies (CAB's) be accredited by PAC.
PAC half annually review and analyses its interested parties governmental or non-governmental (risk analysis) against its process for identifying, analyzing, evaluating and monitoring any conflict of interest.
PAC put into place the required fire walls to ensure that possible conflict of interest does not exist in its relationships with its interested parties, in such cases, There will be instances where a perceived conflict of interest cannot be eliminated, but can be mitigated, PAC has procedure to explain and demonstrate the processes in place to mitigate the possible associated raised risks.
5. PAC policy on impartiality with assessment process
PAC mandated to ensure impartiality and stand in equal distance from all of its CABs starting by their application and during the accreditation process of their activity.
PAC policies, rules, agreements and regulations that are put in a non-discriminatory way is published as "information package" and located at PAC Website in purpose of impartiality,
PAC ensures that all personnel and committees act objectively without any undue commercial, financial and other pressures that compromise impartiality regardless CAB size of the applicant or membership of any association or group, nor shall accreditation be conditional upon the number of CABs already accredited.
6. PAC policy on impartiality on management system
PAC management review meeting review PAC interested parties analysis report, it is discussed, explained and demonstrated during, the processes in place to mitigate the possible associated residual risks.
It is not only PAC management review meeting routine for keep an eye to the interested parties relations (CAB's) , but also routine for PAC accreditation committee or the preceded assessment steps to stop the assessment process for any impartiality unbroken reasons.
7. PAC policy on impartiality with staff
PAC staff, assessors and experts shall operate in a non-discriminatory manner towards all CABs during the assessment process, and for granting of accreditations operate in an impartial manner in pursuance of their duties.
PAC different committees members have to sign an agreement mandate them with impartiality statement against any conflict of interest,
As demonstrated in PAC quality manual clause 4.4.11, PAC never provide any conformity assessment activities covered by accreditation nor consultation service for any governmental or non-governmental CABs.
PAC assessors and experts employed by PAC to provide technical services are bound by agreements (F1P7G F2P7G and F3P7G) to disclose to PAC any fact or circumstance which might be reasonably considered to be inconsistent with the employment of the assessor or expert for the intended purpose.
8. PAC policy on impartiality with activities and services
PAC never introduce or provide any conformity assessment activities covered by accreditation
nor consultation service for any governmental or non-governmental CABs. Periodically provide
a training and awareness in CAB's standard ex. For ISO/IEC 17025, ISO/IEC 17020, ISO/IEC
17021, ISO/IEC 15189, ISO/IEC 17043, ...
PAC periodically provide a training and awareness in the public domain in CAB's standard ex.
For ISO/IEC 17025, ISO/IEC 17020, ISO/IEC 17021, ISO/IEC 15189, ISO/IEC 17043, ..., a
participation costs may be paid to cover expenses of attendance at training courses organized by
PAC, with the exception of assessor update seminars.
PAC contribute in achievement of proficiency testing to its CAB's on the purpose of assuring
their competencies, this PT's is provided by the international regional bodies like (APLAC, ...)
9. References
- ISO/IEC 17011:2017.
- International vocabulary of metrology - Basic and general concepts and associated terms
- VIM.
10. Related forms
Forms to be used in the implementation of procedure are:
10.1 F1WI11G_Related Bodies analysis report
