Confidentiality Policy

Universal Certification and Services (UCS) is committed to provide confidential services to its customers. Confidential customers‘ information is just for UCS use, will only be used for the purposes of which it was gathered, will not be shared with any other organization or individual without the need to know and the right to know this information, and will not be shared without the customers‘ expressed permission.

UCS may have access to confidential information either oral, written, or electronic. In such cases, UCS will maintain the information in a manner that ensures its confidentiality.

External auditors, external technical experts and anyone that provides outsourced services to UCS should comply with applicable policies and implement the processes defined by UCS and must sign a written agreement that addresses aspects relating to confidentiality, impartiality and conflict of interest. 

UCS employees may use or disclose information learned or acquired through their association with UCS only for the performance of their job or as otherwise permitted by law. Particular care must be taken to keep confidential any information that is:

• Of possible value to competitors
• Potentially damaging to customers and their competitors
• Received under an express or implied secrecy obligation
• Received from a third party

For the purpose of this policy, confidentiality relates to the transmission of personal, sensitive or identifiable information (confidential information) related to individuals or organizations which comes into the possession of UCS through its work.

Records on applicants and clients of UCS are kept secure, dealt with sensitively, and stored and secured against unauthorized access, accident disclosure, loss or destruction. Records are constantly reviewed and where necessary disposed in a secure manner.

UCS recognizes that occasions may arise where there is a need to breach confidentiality. Confidential or sensitive information relating to an individual or organization may be revealed where there is risk of danger to an individual or organization, or the public at large, or where it is against the law to withhold it. In these circumstances, information may be revealed to external agencies (e.g. police or social services) on a need to know basis.