Trust
Trust Center
Governance, impartiality, confidentiality, competence, complaints, appeals and certificate verification — in one place.
Impartiality
Decisions based on evidence
- Assessment, technical review and certification decision are carried out by different people.
- Every auditor and inspector declares conflicts of interest before each assignment; anyone with prior involvement with a client is excluded from that client's file.
- Remuneration is independent of certification and inspection outcomes.
- Lead auditors rotate after at most two consecutive cycles with the same client.
- Training is open to all and is independent of the certification process.
- An Impartiality Committee with balanced membership reviews risks and advises management.
Audit
Audit team gathers evidence and recommends.
Technical review
A reviewer who was not on the audit checks the whole file.
Certification decision
An independent decision maker decides, with recorded reasoning.
Confidentiality
What we publish
Organisation name, certified sites, scope, standard or scheme, certificate status and dates — through the public register and verification service.
What we protect
All other information obtained during certification or inspection. Every person acting for BVS signs confidentiality obligations. Where the law requires disclosure, the client is informed unless the law prohibits it.
Competence
Authorised on evidence
Each person is evaluated against BVS criteria for a specific function, scheme and sector: verified education and experience, audit or inspection history, examination, observed performance and witnessing. Authorisations are monitored and re-evaluated.
Governance
Structure
Top management, scheme and technical management, authorised auditors and inspectors, independent technical reviewers and decision makers, and an Impartiality Committee. Read more.
Accreditation
Accreditation scope, where granted, is published on this page and in the accreditation body's directory. Accreditation marks appear only on certificates within an accredited scope.
Certification integrity
Protecting what a certificate means
- Every certificate has a unique number and QR code.
- Suspended, withdrawn and expired certificates show their real status online.
- Misuse of certificates or marks is investigated and acted on.
- Anyone can report a suspected false BVS certificate.
Policies
Certificate verification
Check any BVS certificate by number or organisation name.
Verify a certificate