[Reprinted with permission to misc.industry.quality. (c) 2005 OQR,
Inc.]
ANAB Submits Findings to BSI from Oxebridge Complaint
September 13, 2005
Winter Haven FL --- The ANSI/ASQ National Accreditation Board
(ANAB) has issued two findings to BSI on the basis of a complaint filed
by Oxebridge on behalf of ISO 9001 user organizations. The complaint
alleged violations of ISO Guide 62 rules which prohibit accredited ISO
9001 registrars from marketing custom training programs alongside
conformity assessment services. BSI is an ISO 9001 registration company accredited by ANAB, SCC and InMetro.
ANAB has agreed that some of the issues defined in the Oxebridge complaint warranted further action, and issued two findings to BSI. The findings are not statements of nonconformity, but rather reports of
concern which request a response from BSI. If BSI's response addresses
the issues adequately, and disproves the complaint, the issue would presumably be dropped by ANAB and BSI would be determined to be in
compliance with Guide 62. If, on the other hand, the responses are inadequate, ANAB could issue formal nonconformities and place BSI's
North American accreditation on suspension.
The first finding concerns BSI's marketing of customized on-site
training courses, specifically those on how to implement ISO 9001.
Guide 62 prohibits accredited registrars from offering training that is
not in the public domain, and which provides specific information to
any company on how to implement systems that BSI may later audit.
The second finding is concerned with BSI's alleged failure to
respond to Oxebridge's complaint directly. Oxebridge alleges that BSI
failed to respond to its complaint submittal, which required it to
escalate the matter to ANAB. Guide 62 requires registrars to maintain a formal and objective complaints handling system.
Meanwhile, Oxebridge is in possession of recent promotional
mailings from BSI Management Systems which continue to market
customized ISO 9001 implementation courses, among other courses.
Oxebridge filed the complaint on behalf of ISO 900 end users as
part of its Advocacy '05 Program, which is attempting to improve the
validity and value of ISO 9001 certificates through a number of
advocacy efforts, including ensuring that registration and
accreditation bodies adhere to international agreements. The program
has resulted in broad support from ISO 9001 end user organizations, but
in a number of legal threats and inflammatory statements made against Oxebridge by the complaint recipients. "If a pattern of resistance to stakeholder complaints emerges, this could further erode the world's confidence in ISO 9001," Oxebridge VP Christopher Paris said. "We work
in an industry that teaches organizations to honor customer
requirements and seek out feedback. If our overseers respond to
customer complaints with lawsuits and obstruction, what does that say
about our industry?"
SCC and InMetro are still researching the BSI complaint, and to
date have not taken any formal action.
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