ISO 17020:2012 pdf download.Conformity assessment - Requirements for the operation of various types of bodies performing inspection
4.1.3 The inspection body shall identify risks to its impartiality on an ongoing basis. This shall include those risks that arise from its activities, or from its relationships, or from the relationships of its personnel. However,such relationships do not necessarily present an inspection body with a risk to impartiality.
NOTE A relationship that threatens the impartiality of the inspection body can be based on ownership, governance,management, personnel, shared resources, finances, contracts, marketing (including branding), and payment of a sales commission or other inducement for the referral of new clients, etc.
4.1.4 If a risk to impartiality is identified, the inspection body shall be able to demonstrate how it eliminates or minimizes such risk.
4.1.5 The inspection body shall have top management commitment to impartiality.
4.1.6 The inspection body shall be independent to the extent that is required with regard to the conditions
under which it performs its services. Depending on these conditions, it shall meet the minimum requirements stipulated in Annex A, as outlined below.
a) An inspection body providing third party inspections shall meet the type A requirements of Clause A.1(third party inspection body).
b) An inspection body providing first party inspections, second party inspections, or both, which forms a separate and identifiable part of an organization involved in the design, manufacture, supply, installation,use or maintenance of the items it inspects and which supplies inspection services only to its parent organization (in-house inspection body) shall meet the type B requirements of Clause A.2.
c) An inspection body providing first party inspections, second party inspections, or both, which forms an identifiable but not necessarily a separate part of an organization involved in the design, manufacture,supply, installation, use or maintenance of the items it inspects and which supplies inspection services to its parent organization or to other parties, or to both, shall meet the type C requirements of Clause A.3.
4.2 Confidentiality
4.2.1 The inspection body shall be responsible, through legally enforceable commitments， for the management of all information obtained or created during the performance of inspection activities. The inspection body shall inform the client, in advance, of the information it intends to place in the public domain.
Except for information that the client makes publicly available, or when agreed between the inspection body and the client (e.g. for the purpose of responding to complaints), all other information is considered proprietary information and shall be regarded as confidential.
NOTE Legally enforceable commitments can be, for example, contractual agreements.
4.2.2 When the inspection body is required by law or authorized by contractual commitments to release confidential information, the client or individual concerned shall, unless prohibited by law, be notified of the information provided.
4.2.3 Information about the client obtained from sources other than the client (e.g. complainant, regulators) shall be treated as confidential.ISO 17020 pdf download.