RvA Impartiality assembly started on June 20th

Once a year, participants in the RvA Impartiality Assembly meet to discuss the impartiality of the RvA and advise the RvA Board on this issue. The Impartiality Assembly stems from the former Stakeholder Advisory Panel. After an evaluation in 2021, the Advisory Panel was renewed and continued under the name ‘Strategic Advisory Forum’.

Participants discussed a risk assessment on our impartiality prepared by the management team, led by the Vice President of the Supervisory Board of the RvA. An external auditor (not being the auditing auditor of the RvA) also reviewed the risk methodology used. This proved to be a familiar and acceptable method for the participants as well. During a constructive exchange about the content of the risk analysis, the participants also shared their own views on in this area. They dwelt, among other things, on the importance of regularly putting ‘integrity’ on the agenda for both internal and external employees. The current shortage on the labor market and the sensitivities that can play a role in the deployment of assessors with clients in competitive markets, were also discussed.

There was much appreciation for the transparent way in which the RvA opens itself up to the views of stakeholders. With the help of the valuable advice of participants in this consultation, the RvA will further sharpen the risk analysis and the underlying draft Terms of Reference where necessary.

Why an impartiality Assembly?

With the RvA Impartiality Assembly, the RvA implements the requirement in article 4.4.5 of ISO/IEC 17011, which states the following:

”The accreditation body shall document and implement a process to provide opportunity for effective involvement by interested parties for safeguarding impartiality. The accreditation body shall ensure a balanced representation of interested parties with no single party predominating”.

The RvA places high value on the annual advice on its impartiality. In order to ensure that this advice is properly secured, we set up an extra consultation with a focus on this task.

Regular participants

The following stakeholders are represented in the RvA Impartiality Assembly:

  • Supervisory Board (RvA, chair).
  • Fenelab
  • Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate
  • NVCI
  • Association of Scheme Administrators
  • Representation of medical laboratories
  • Objection Chairman (RvA)
  • Accreditation Committee (RvA)