Impartiality Statement
Certification Services Division
The British Institute of Non-Destructive Testing (BINDT) CSD undertakes to manage impartiality and to ensure that the certification activities undertaken are conducted in an impartial manner. The bye-laws of BINDT include policies and procedures on impartiality.
Top management of BINDT are committed to ensuring impartiality of the CSD certification activities as stated in the BINDT Quality Policy. The CSD commitment to and understanding of the importance of impartiality within its certification activities is made publicly available through this statement. This statement of understanding, and the supporting procedures and processes, also confirm the CSD commitment to managing any conflict of interest and the ensuring of objectivity within its certification activities.
BINDT CSD undertakes to act impartially in relation to its clients, applicants, candidates, certified persons and approved/certified parties. All applicable CSD staff shall complete and sign a form PSL/56 (signature sheet for impartiality and confidentiality). PCN Scheme document CP09 addresses examination staff impartiality.
All CSD policies and procedures for certification of persons are prepared and designed to ensure a fair and consistent approach and application to all applicants, candidates and certified persons.
BINDT CSD commits to ensure that certification applications shall not be restricted on the grounds of undue financial or other limiting conditions, such as membership of an association or group. BINDT CSD does not intentionally apply procedures or processes that may unfairly impede or inhibit access to the certification process by applicants and/or candidates.
BINDT CSD does not permit commercial, financial or other pressures to compromise its commitment to impartiality.
BINDT CSD makes every effort to identify threats to its impartiality on an ongoing basis. This includes monitoring those threats or potential threats that arise or may arise from its activities, from its related bodies, from its relationships or from the relationships of its personnel. However, such relationships may not necessarily present a body with a threat to impartiality.
Note 1: A relationship that threatens the impartiality of the BINDT CSD may be based on ownership, governance, management, personnel, shared resources, finances, contracts, marketing (including branding) and payment of a sales commission or other inducement for the referral of new applicants, etc.
Note 2: Threats to impartiality can be either actual or perceived.
Note 3: A related body is one which is linked to the CSD or its agents by common ownership, in whole or part, and has common members of the board of directors, contractual arrangements, common names, common staff, informal understanding or other means, such that the related body has a vested interest in any certification decision or has a potential ability to influence the process.
BINDT CSD analyses, documents and eliminates or minimises the potential conflicts of interest arising from its certification activities. BINDT CSD documents show any such threats are eliminated, minimised or managed. All potential sources of conflict of interest that are identified, whether they arise from within the CSD, such as assigning responsibilities to personnel, or from the activities of other persons, bodies or organisations, shall be considered.
The activities of the CSD are structured and managed so as to safeguard impartiality. This includes the balanced involvement of interested parties.
In support of this impartiality policy, BINDT CSD expects all bodies approved through BINDT CSD certification schemes to adopt a similar ethos towards impartiality and to operate with the highest integrity at all times.
Top management of BINDT are committed to ensuring impartiality of the CSD certification activities as stated in the BINDT Quality Policy. The CSD commitment to and understanding of the importance of impartiality within its certification activities is made publicly available through this statement. This statement of understanding, and the supporting procedures and processes, also confirm the CSD commitment to managing any conflict of interest and the ensuring of objectivity within its certification activities.
BINDT CSD undertakes to act impartially in relation to its clients, applicants, candidates, certified persons and approved/certified parties. All applicable CSD staff shall complete and sign a form PSL/56 (signature sheet for impartiality and confidentiality). PCN Scheme document CP09 addresses examination staff impartiality.
All CSD policies and procedures for certification of persons are prepared and designed to ensure a fair and consistent approach and application to all applicants, candidates and certified persons.
BINDT CSD commits to ensure that certification applications shall not be restricted on the grounds of undue financial or other limiting conditions, such as membership of an association or group. BINDT CSD does not intentionally apply procedures or processes that may unfairly impede or inhibit access to the certification process by applicants and/or candidates.
BINDT CSD does not permit commercial, financial or other pressures to compromise its commitment to impartiality.
BINDT CSD makes every effort to identify threats to its impartiality on an ongoing basis. This includes monitoring those threats or potential threats that arise or may arise from its activities, from its related bodies, from its relationships or from the relationships of its personnel. However, such relationships may not necessarily present a body with a threat to impartiality.
Note 1: A relationship that threatens the impartiality of the BINDT CSD may be based on ownership, governance, management, personnel, shared resources, finances, contracts, marketing (including branding) and payment of a sales commission or other inducement for the referral of new applicants, etc.
Note 2: Threats to impartiality can be either actual or perceived.
Note 3: A related body is one which is linked to the CSD or its agents by common ownership, in whole or part, and has common members of the board of directors, contractual arrangements, common names, common staff, informal understanding or other means, such that the related body has a vested interest in any certification decision or has a potential ability to influence the process.
BINDT CSD analyses, documents and eliminates or minimises the potential conflicts of interest arising from its certification activities. BINDT CSD documents show any such threats are eliminated, minimised or managed. All potential sources of conflict of interest that are identified, whether they arise from within the CSD, such as assigning responsibilities to personnel, or from the activities of other persons, bodies or organisations, shall be considered.
The activities of the CSD are structured and managed so as to safeguard impartiality. This includes the balanced involvement of interested parties.
In support of this impartiality policy, BINDT CSD expects all bodies approved through BINDT CSD certification schemes to adopt a similar ethos towards impartiality and to operate with the highest integrity at all times.
