Statement of Impartiality

Universal Certification and Services (UCS) understands the importance of impartiality and potential conflict of interest in carrying out its certification activities. UCS commits that all its certification activities are undertaken impartially and the maintenance of impartiality is a key priority at all levels within UCS. UCS ensures not to engage in any activities which could compromise its impartiality by commercial, financial or other pressures. 

UCS applies its policies and procedures in a non-discriminatory way, and its services are available to anyone who seeks certification activities that are within its defined scope of activities. UCS certification decisions are based on objective evidence of conformity and are not influenced by other interests or other parties. 

The impartiality and objectivity of UCS certification services is tightly controlled. All UCS internal and external personnel are required to commit to confidentiality and impartiality and are required to declare any potential conflict of interest. UCS takes full regard to this information to ensure the objectivity of services that it provides, and certification decisions are made by competent persons that are independent of personnel who carried out the audits.

UCS does not provide internal audits to its certified clients, nor does it certify a management system on which it provided internal audits or management system consultancy in the past two years. UCS does not outsource audits to a management system consultancy organization and it does not promote the services of any such organization

UCS evaluates potential risks to its impartiality on an on-going basis by conducting internal audits and management reviews, and by consulting appropriate interested parties. Where any such risks are identified, UCS uses appropriate measures to eliminate or minimize them. These measures are monitored for effectiveness.

In the event that customers or other interested parties have concerns regarding UCS impartiality, UCS has non-discriminatory procedures in place for handling complaints and appeals.