Impartiality Policy

AAP understands the importance of impartiality in carrying out its management system certification activities, manages conflict of interest and ensures the objectivity of its management system certification activities. AAP is committed to providing an independent, impartial and competent certification of Quality Management Systems, Environmental Management Systems to all its clients in a manner that is most cost-effective and adds value to its client's products and services to the ultimate customers' Satisfaction AAP shall ensure that its services are available to all its suppliers and these services are not based on undue financial, sectorial or any other consideration. AAP ensures that all its procedures operate in a non discriminatory manner. AAP exercises the following control conflict of interest, maintain impartiality in auditing process:-

• Audit staff are prohibited from participating in the Audit of any organization to which they have given assistance, by consultancy or training (other than professionally registered auditor training), or where they have any financial or commercial interest for a minimum period of 2 years prior to the date of application of the organization for registration.
• When assigned to a particular contract, Audit /AAP staff shall not disclose or discuss any detail; before or after the Audit to any member of staff other than their direct Management or other members of the team, as required by the Auditor Agreement & Confidential Information and No Conflict of Interest Agreement signed on commencement of employment.
• All staff internal & external shall sign a conflict of Interest and confidentiality agreement
• AAP staff, Auditors (external/Internal), Experts are prohibited from engaging in consultancy activities or any other form which may harm impartiality issue.
• AAP does not outsource audits to management system consultancy organization or any other organization ,neither it is involved in any form of management system consultancy

AAP Impartial Committee shall safeguard the impartiality of the activities of AAP and shall:

• Assist in developing the policies relating to impartiality of AAP certification activities.
• Counteract any tendency on the part of AAP to allow commercial or other considerations to prevent the consistent objective provision of certification activities, Advise on matters affecting confidence in certification, including openness and public perception and Conduct a review, at least once annually, of the impartiality of the audit, certification and decision making processes of the certification body. Other tasks or duties may be assigned to the committee provided these additional tasks or duties do not compromise its essential role of ensuring impartiality.