Quality policy
A constant priority
Accredia’s quality and impartiality policy aims to ensure the satisfaction of all parties involved in accreditation and conformity assessment activities.
The basic principles underlying Accredia’s quality and impartiality policy are to ensure the objectivity of the role performed and to instill confidence in all parties involved in its activities (stakeholders).
These principles are respected through the implementation of a management system that complies with the ISO/IEC 17011 standard, the rules established by the EA/MLA, ILAC/MRA and IAF/MRA international Mutual Recognition Agreements, and the requirements of EC Regulation 765/2008, the Interministerial Decree of December 22, 2009, and the Statute of the Body.
Accredia is committed to operating with transparency and confidentiality in order to guarantee impartiality, independence, and the absence of any kind of discrimination in the accreditation processes. In particular, all the Body’s personnel, including assessors, technical experts, and members of the Bodies, are required to operate with independence, impartiality, and objectivity. Furthermore, decisions on accreditation are taken independently of the conformity assessment body subject to the decision by the Sectoral Accreditation Committees, which are the institutional bodies responsible for the various areas.
A central element of Accredia’s quality and impartiality policy is the Code of Ethics and Conduct, published by the Body on its website, which defines the principles of conduct to be observed through the concepts of integrity, honesty, transparency, and fairness in the performance of accreditation processes. The Code of Ethics and Conduct was defined taking into account the provisions of Italian law on the liability of legal persons for offences committed by their employees and international voluntary standards on the prevention and combating of corruption.
Accredia committees and risk analysis
The Steering and Guarantee Committee (CIG) monitors risk management and contributes to operational guidelines; the Board of Directors assesses residual risks. The Sector Accreditation Committees supervise the accreditation processes.
Accredia has adopted a method for assessing and managing threats to impartiality and conflicts of interest that may arise in the performance of its activities, based in particular on an in-depth risk analysis, which is periodically monitored, reviewed, and updated.
The overall assessment of the results of this management is entrusted to an independent body, the Steering and Guarantee Committee (Comitato di Indirizzo e Garanzia – CIG), which meets periodically with the task of expressing the contribution of Accredia’s members and other interested parties to the “formulation of operational guidelines and the proper functioning of the Accreditation Body, in order to ensure the competence, transparency and impartiality of its work, as required by applicable legislation” (art. 19 of Accredia’s Statute).
Any residual risk is assessed by the Directive Council, as Accredia’s senior management, to determine whether it falls within the acceptable threshold. Other bodies must comply with this context – the guidelines expressed by the CIG and the decisions taken by the Directive Council – for example, the Sector Accreditation Committees, which are responsible for suspending accreditation processes if the prescribed conditions are not met.
Based on the values of independence, authority, impartiality, competence, and transparency, and with the aim of increasing market confidence in the conformity assessments issued by accredited organizations, Accredia is committed to ensuring the quality of accreditation services in accordance with international standards.
Objectives
Accredia promotes a culture of conformity assessment and ensures the quality of accredited certifications. It carries out surveillance activities and collaborates in the development of standardization.
In implementing this policy, Accredia defines and commits itself to achieving its strategic, institutional, and operational objectives, aimed at:
- Promoting the importance of accreditation as a tool for reducing trade barriers and promoting sustainable development.
- Increase the credibility/trust of the market (institutions, businesses, and consumers) and society in the conformity assessment mechanism.
- Consolidate Accredia’s position vis-à-vis national and international institutional entities.
This policy, approved by the Directive Council and the Steering and Guarantee Committee, is binding on all staff of the Organization, including the members of its institutional bodies, and is published on the Accredia website.