Impartiality and independence

Why does RSM Certification GmbH commit to safeguarding impartiality and independence?

RSM Certification GmbH carries out audit and certification examinations of management systems in the form of conformity assessments. As a conformity assessment body, we are obliged to ensure our impartiality and independence.

Safeguarding the impartiality and independence of RSM Certification GmbH and of the auditors associated with us is a concern of great importance to us. The commitment to impartiality builds trust with our clients and is therefore – alongside expertise and experience – a fundamental cornerstone for the successful conduct of audits and certifications. For this reason, the management of RSM Certification GmbH commits to impartiality in all decisions and assessments relating to certification.

How does RSM Certification GmbH ensure that impartiality and independence are safeguarded?

Through transparency and the involvement of all parties concerned (auditors, staff and other interested parties), potential conflicts of interest are identified and, where necessary, analysed and documented accordingly. In addition, measures to minimise risks to impartiality are derived and implemented. In particular, factors that endanger impartiality – such as intimidation, self-review, self-interest or excessive familiarity – are taken into account when assessing impartiality.
To ensure objective certification, our staff and the auditors deployed in the respective procedures are independent of any commercial influence from third parties in all activities and decisions relating to auditing and certification.
On matters affecting trust in impartiality, including transparency and public perception, the designated parties must be consulted. For this purpose, management has established a committee for safeguarding impartiality.

The tasks of this committee include, among others:

• supporting the implementation of internal rules to fulfil the requirements for impartiality in the context of certification activities;
• overseeing the certification body to ensure that no undertakings are pursued that could jeopardise objective certification activity, in particular motives that run counter to impartiality;
• assessing impartiality in the conduct of certification examinations and in the internal processes of the conformity assessment body;
• advising on questions relating to compliance with impartiality;
• reviewing whether the principles and internal rules for safeguarding impartiality have been complied with in the past.

The composition of the committee is based on the premise that no interests of individual persons and/or parties are present. Rather, the committee is made up of people from our interested parties, our client base, internal staff and other competent persons. At the same time, the committee serves as a body for identifying improvement measures and thus offers high added value for internal and external parties.