Defines voluntary third-party certification, impartial decisions, binary conformity and the public meaning of ICEQC certification.
Requirement · Mandatory
Voluntary third-party status
ICEQC certification shall be represented as a voluntary third-party determination against identified ICEQC requirements. It shall not be represented as governmental approval, authority to operate, institutional licensing, programme accreditation, degree recognition or academic equivalency.
All ICEQC certification schemes, certificates, marks and public statements.
Scheme wording, contract, certificate, mark rules and public disclaimer.
Requirement · Mandatory
Binary conformity only
ICEQC shall make only a binary conformity determination. It shall not rank, score, grade, award stars, create medal levels, publish comparative positions or issue tiered certification levels.
All programmes, assessments, decisions, dashboards, certificates and marketing.
System field review, checklist, decision record, certificate and public register.
Requirement · Mandatory
No compensating nonconformity
Superior performance against one requirement shall not compensate for nonconformity against another applicable requirement.
Every certification decision.
Clause-level findings and independent decision record.
Requirement · Mandatory
Independent decision
The person or committee making the certification decision shall not have conducted the assessment and shall confirm competence, impartiality and freedom from unmanaged conflicts.
Initial, renewal, maintenance and scope decisions.
Assignment records, declarations and decision approval.