Rights and duties

ASI in North America operates on a foundation of transparency, impartiality, and rigorous oversight. To maintain the integrity of the accreditation process, both ASI in North America and applicant or accredited Conformity Assessment Bodies (CABs) adhere to a defined set of rights and obligations.

Rights of CABs

CABs operating under or applying for ASI in North America accreditation are entitled to a fair and professional assessment process. Key rights include:

  • Appeals against accreditation decisions: CABs have the formal right to appeal accreditation decisions made by ASI in North America in accordance with the Challenge & Appeal Procedure (ASI-PRO-20-103) and Accreditation Service Agreement.
  • Complaints: CABs and stakeholders may file complaints regarding the performance of ASI personnel and adherence to ASI procedures or Scheme Owner Requirements as per the Complaints Procedure (ASI-PRO-20-104), disagreements over procedural implementation, or the conduct of the accreditation process.
  • Challenging findings: CABs have the right to submit a formal challenge against any Nonconformities (NCs) issued by ASI in North America during the assessment process if they believe the evidence does not support the conclusion.
  • Confidentiality: CABs have the right to expect that all proprietary information provided during the application and assessment process is handled with strict confidentiality, as outlined in the Accreditation Service Agreement.
Decorative

Duties of CABs

To maintain accreditation, CABs must commit to continuous compliance and cooperation:

  • Compliance with requirements: CABs must continually comply with relevant accreditation requirements, including ISO/IEC 17065, ASI in North America and specific scheme owner requirements. This includes keeping track of and implementing any changes to these requirements within the specified transition periods.
  • Two-tier participation: The CAB acknowledges the ASI Two-Tier Assurance Program, where ASI Assurance Services International GmbH serves as the outsourced body conducting accreditation activities on behalf of ASI in North America (the exclusive decision-maker).
  • Claiming accreditation: CABs are obligated to claim accreditation only for the specific scopes for which they have been granted and must not bring the accreditation body into disrepute.
  • Cooperation & Access: CABs must provide full cooperation to enable verification of compliance, granting ASI in North America with full access to relevant documentation, data, personnel, and locations. This obligation extends to physical access to premises and affiliate offices for all assessment types.
  • Enforceable agreements with third parties: CABs must maintain legally enforceable agreements with their clients (Certificate Holders), subcontractors, and affiliate offices that mandate these entities provide the same level of access and information to ASI in North America as the CAB itself.
  • Notification of changes: CABs must inform ASI in North America without delay of any significant changes to their legal, commercial, or organizational status, or changes to key personnel and resources.
  • Financial obligations: CABs must fulfill all financial obligations, including payment of application, assessment, and annual fees as stipulated in the Fee Schedule.

Rights of ASI North America

To ensure the credibility of the certificates issued under its oversight, ASI in North America reserves the right to:

  • Accreditation decisions: Exercise authority to grant, maintain, extend, reduce, suspend, or withdraw accreditation based on assessment outcomes and compliance levels.
  • Unannounced assessments: Conduct unannounced or short-notice assessments if there is a perceived risk to the integrity of the scheme.
  • Access & Oversight: Review all records and activities related to the CAB’s certification scope under the scope of accreditation.
Decorative

Duties of ASI in North America

ASI in North America is committed to providing high-quality and transparent  oversight services by:

  • Accountability: Taking full responsibility for all accreditation activities, including those outsourced to ASI GmbH under the Two-Tier Assurance Program.
  • Impartiality: Ensuring that all accreditation activities are conducted in an independent and unbiased manner, free from commercial or political pressure. While ASI in North America may provide generic training or advise scheme owners, it strictly refrains from providing specific solutions or consultancy to individual CABs.
  • Decision integrity: Maintaining an independent Accreditation Committee to make accreditation decisions.
  • Competence: Utilizing technically proficient assessors and decision-makers who are regularly evaluated for their expertise.
  • Information transparency: Maintaining a publicly available list of accredited CABs and their scopes, as well as providing clear information regarding the accreditation process.
  • Responsiveness: Addressing complaints and appeals from CABs or stakeholders in a timely and objective manner.