Confidentiality and Conflicts of Interest: How We Protect Your Information
Certification only works when you can share real evidence with your auditors. This page explains how Accredify Global keeps that information confidential and prevents conflicts of interest in every audit team. It also shows which certificate details are public by rule.
Why Confidentiality and Conflict-of-Interest Rules Matter
During an audit you share risk registers, incident logs, customer data, and commercial plans. Confidentiality rules make sure that information is used only for certification. Conflict-of-interest rules make sure nobody on your audit team has a relationship that could bias the result. Together, they protect both you and the value of your certificate.
ISO/IEC 17021-1 requires every accredited certification body to keep client information confidential and to manage conflicts of interest. Our policy, below, sets out how Accredify Global meets that requirement.
Our Confidentiality and Conflicts of Interest Policy
Confidentiality & Conflicts Of Interest
At Accredify Global, we understand that proper assessment is only possible when clients have complete trust that their information will remain confidential and secure. To safeguard this trust, all auditors, technical experts, and staff are legally bound by signed agreements ensuring confidentiality and no conflict of interest in relation to certification activities.
Before assigning an audit, Accredify Global provides the client with information about the proposed audit team. Clients are given the opportunity to raise any objections if they perceive a potential conflict of interest, bias, or breach of trust. Audit activities commence only after the client's approval of the audit team, ensuring transparency and fairness.
This process reinforces Accredify Global's commitment to:
- Maintaining client confidentiality at all times.
- Preventing conflicts of interest in certification decisions.
- Building trust and transparency in every audit engagement.
Through these measures, Accredify Global ensures that all certification services are carried out with the highest levels of integrity, impartiality, and professional responsibility.
What Stays Confidential, and What Is Public
Accreditation rules require some certificate information to be available. Everything else stays private unless you agree in writing.
| Information | How it is treated |
|---|---|
| Audit evidence, reports, and findings | Confidential; shared only with you and those who need it for certification |
| Certificate status | Public on request: name, standard, scope, city, and country, and whether a certificate is valid, suspended, or withdrawn |
| Information required by law | Released only where the law requires; you are told what was provided unless the law prevents it |
| Accreditation body or impartiality committee review | May be seen by them under confidentiality; you are informed |
| Anything else | Not disclosed without your written consent |
Anyone can check whether a certificate is genuine on our certificate verification page. The full disclosure rules are in section 13 of our Accredited Management System Process.
How the Audit Team Is Confirmed
You see who will audit you before anything starts, and you have a say.
Confidentiality and Conflicts of Interest: Common Questions
Who is bound by confidentiality at Accredify Global?
All personnel, including external auditors, technical experts and committee members involved in certification activities. Each signs a legally enforceable agreement.
Is our audit report ever made public?
No. Audit reports and evidence are confidential. Only certificate status details, such as name, standard, scope, city and country, are available on request, as accreditation rules require.
Can we object to a member of the audit team?
Yes. We share the proposed audit team in advance. You can object in writing if you see a potential conflict of interest, bias or breach of trust, and we assign a replacement.
What counts as a conflict of interest?
Any relationship that could affect objectivity. Examples include an auditor who consulted for you, worked for you, or has a financial interest in your organization or a competitor.
Will the accreditation body see our information?
It may, when it assesses our work, and always under confidentiality. If confidential information is made available to the accreditation body or our impartiality committee, we inform you.
How do I report a breach of confidentiality?
Use our complaints and appeals process or email info@accredifyglobal.com. Include the certificate or engagement reference, but avoid sending sensitive data in your first message.
Share Evidence With Confidence
Ask how confidentiality works in your audit, or start a free scoping review for your certification.
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