Declaration of Interests for the NSI Associate Consultancy Programme

The NSI Impartiality Register lists all interests of individuals including NSI Directors, staff, contractors and consultants. It applies equally to all NSI staff, contractors, and consultants during the period of their relationship with NSI and also after that relationship ceases. It also includes those Consultants working for a Consultancy registered on the NSI Associate Consultancy Programme (ACP).

The Register has been developed to help ensure NSI avoids being compromised by suggested or actual breach of confidentiality or of accepting inducements that could lead to a claim of a lack of independence and/or impartiality.

The NSI Management of Impartiality Policy highlights NSI’s wish to ensure the trust and confidence of all interested parties is retained in all its activities by fully embracing the principles of openness and impartiality as laid down in its policy which as a minimum conforms to ISO/IEC 17021 and ISO/IEC 17065. There are two strands to the NSI policy - Confidentiality and an Impartiality Register.

Confidentiality

The NSI policy states that all parties will treat in total confidence all information received during the course of their work, and that they will maintain confidentiality - even after ceasing association with NSI. NSI’s reputation as an independent and impartial certification body is of paramount importance and adherence to this policy is fundamental to it being upheld.

Impartiality register

The policy requires all individuals including those working for an NSI Associate Consultancy to make an annual declaration for inclusion into the NSI Impartiality Register of anything (e.g. professional or other relationship, or receipt of benefit e.g. gifts/hospitality) from any organisation, that could in any way be considered to impact upon confidentiality and/or impartiality of NSI and/or the Associate Consultancy and/or individuals. See overleaf for examples.

Who is affected by this?

All Consultants working for the Associate Consultancy. Each consultant working for a Consultancy shall complete a submission as part of the Consultancy’s application to be admitted to the ACP, and then annually prior to the renewal of the ACP Agreement.

As an individual consultant working for an NSI ACP Consultancy, what should I do?

By Add date you should:

Acknowledge that you have read and understood the NSI policy on Confidentiality by signing and dating the declaration below.

Declare in the form below anything that should be entered in the Register, including anything continuing from previous years, or state that you have “nothing to declare”.

Return the completed document to NSI by email to the HR Manager (Japjeet.ghattaora@nsi.org.uk) by the above date. If you have any doubts about what to declare, please contact the HR Manager.

Please note that annual renewal of your Consultancy’s registration to the AC Programme will not be granted unless this submission has been made by the date specified above from all consultants working for the Consultancy.

To be completed by each individual operating under an NSI ACP Agreement

DECLARATION ACP No: Enter here.
Names of Organisations including CBs, Approved Companies, others (in which you have connections, or from which you have received benefit e.g. gifts/hospitality) and the Nature of that connection and/or benefit
Name of Organisation, (state relevant info if	Nature of Interest, Relationship or Benefit	£Value (if any)
e.g. another certification body / assessing body	e.g. sub-contract work	£0
e.g. ABC Ltd – NSI approved company	e.g. hospitality day - football	£130
e.g. ABC Ltd – NSI approved company	e.g. 10% shareholding in this company	£0
£
£
£
£
£
£
£
I declare that I have read and understood the NSI Confidentiality policy (tick box)	☐
Either:	Tick ONLY ONE box below
I declare that I have disclosed all associations / interests / gifts / benefits	☐
or	or
I have nothing to declare	☐
Name	Date of Original ACP agreement with NSI	mm/yy
Signature	Date	Select today’s date

List of typical returns for NSI staff/contractors/consultancies

These include the following.

Relationship with any other certification body / assessing body for whom sub-contract work is carried out.

A gift worth more than £25 from an NSI approved company or any company that NSI does business with, together with a reason for accepting it.

A shareholding of more than 10% in any NSI approved company or any company that NSI does business with.

A family member, partner or friend (even a distant connection) works for any NSI approved company or any company that NSI does business with*.

A “free” ticket to a sporting or other, event (e.g. Golf Day / Football or Rugby Match / Race Meeting / Theatre Ticket) with a value of more than £25.

Evening meal / drinks / entertainment with any NSI approved company or any company that NSI does business with*.

Hotel accommodation paid for by any NSI approved company or any company that NSI does business with*.

Previously employed by any NSI approved company or any company that NSI does business with*.

Consultancy services provided to any NSI approved company (or any company that NSI does business with*).

*Include companies audited or assessed by NSI be that for NSI Schemes (e.g. NSI Gold) or third party schemes (e.g. ACS).

These do NOT include the following.

A business lunch.

It is better for all concerned to be open and declare everything. Not declaring something could lead to a lack of impartiality and loss of confidential information.