Impartiality Policy

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Averum, a subsidiary of Pinion, LLC, prioritizes maintaining impartiality during the performance and delivery of its certification services to clients. Although scenarios which could threaten impartiality may occur, Averum has practices in place to manage these circumstances as appropriate. In such cases, Averum will take action to document and address the scenario to promptly eliminate the threat. All conformity assessment activities are performed impartially, without compromise due to commercial, financial, or other pressures.

Prior to engaging with a new client, Averum considers whether the relationship would threaten its ability to protect impartiality. Additionally, Averum reviews existing relationships on an ongoing basis to maintain an awareness of any relevant changes. In cases where an identified threat may result in an unfavorable residual risk and exceed Averum’s risk appetite, Averum will (a) decline to perform or discontinue the professional services or (b) terminate the relevant relationships or dispose of the relevant interests to eliminate the threat or reduce it to an acceptable level. 

Averum has implemented a risk assessment process to identify, analyze, treat, monitor, and document the risks related to conflict of interests. On at least an annual basis, Averum leadership assesses potential conflicts of interest, considers threats to impartiality, defines acceptable levels of risk, and reviews the applicable existing policy to determine whether Averum’s practices require enhancement.

On at least an annual basis, Averum reviews the adequacy of arrangements to cover liabilities associated with risks evaluated for certification activities. Additionally, Averum performs an evaluation of the organization’s finances and sources of income to ensure impartiality is not compromised, both initially and on an ongoing basis, due to commercial, financial, or other pressures.

All personnel are aware of the importance associated with maintaining Averum’s impartiality. 

• On at least an annual basis, Averum employees review and attest to the contents within the impartiality policy.
• All personnel will act impartially without compromise due to commercial, financial, or other pressures.
• Averum maintains its impartiality in all certification decisions. In the event a client is obtaining management system consulting from Averum’s parent company (Pinion, LLC), and certification services from Averum, impartiality is safeguarded in at least one of the following ways:
  • Pinion management system consulting staff will not serve in a certification decision making capacity on the Averum team. Staff may be allowed to compile notes obtained by an impartial field auditor, or compile and edit workpapers, but may not be involved in any assessment decisions nor will they be allowed to make recommendations to the lead auditor on client's conformance or compliance with the audit standard.
  • Certification decisions made by Averum will only be performed by staff who have not performed management system consulting with Pinion for the same client.
  • In cases where Averum contracts a Pinion management system consulting employee as a subcontractor to perform work on behalf of Averum, staff will not be assigned to work in a capacity that impacts certification decisions. If the audit requires staff to perform an onsite visit to complete an effective audit, other auditors will be assigned to a client if impartiality may be impacted.
  • Subcontractors are required to acknowledge Averum's Impartiality Policy on an annual basis.
  • Averum's Subcontractor Agreement maintains a clause that requires subcontractors to disclose any conflicts of interest or potential conflicts of interest.
  • If circumstances arise where there may be a potential impact to impartiality of an employee or Averum, personnel are required to disclose the potential conflict of interests.
• If circumstances arise where there may be a potential impact to impartiality of an employee or Averum, personnel are required disclose the potential conflict of interests.
  • Averum will document the potential threat to impartiality and perform an assessment of the information provided to determine whether affected personnel may be used for applicable certification activities. 
  • Averum will not use the personnel impacted by these scenarios for the relevant certifications unless the assessment performed demonstrates there is no conflict of interest.

To protect impartiality, Averum will not perform the following services:

• Management system consulting or internal audits to its certified clients
• Certification services for another certification body
• Outsource management system consulting
• Joint marketing with an organization that provides management system consultancy

Averum will take action to correct inappropriate links or statements by any consultancy organization stating or implying that a certification would be simpler, easier, faster, or less expensive if Averum were used. Similarly, Averum will not state or imply that a certification would be simpler, easier, faster, or less expensive if a specified consultancy were used.