We identify, analyze, and document the possibility of conflicts of interest arising from the provision of validation and verification, including all conflicts arising from KMR's relationships. Forming relationships does not always cause a conflict of interest for KMR. However, if a relationship poses a threat, KMR must be able to document and demonstrate measures to eliminate or minimize the threat. This information must be provided to the Steering Committee. In demonstrating this, all identified potential sources of conflicts of interest must be addressed, regardless of whether they originate within KMR or from the activities of other persons or organizations.

Relationships that threaten KMR's impartiality include ownership, governance, management, personnel, shared resources, finances, contracts, marketing, payment of sales commissions, or other inducements for the referral of new clients.

If a relationship poses an unacceptable threat to KMR's impartiality, KMR shall not provide the relevant validation and verification services.

KMR does not certify the validation and verification activities of other organizations.

KMR does not offer or provide consultancy on validation and verification in any part.

KMR does not offer or provide internal audits to clients for whom KMR has provided validation and verification in any part.
For validation and verification where KMR has provided internal audits, KMR shall not certify that validation and verification within two years following the completion of the internal audits.

If the relationship between a consultancy organization and KMR poses an unacceptable threat to the impartiality of the validation and verification body, KMR shall not certify the validation and verification of clients who have received validation and verification consultancy or internal audits from that consultancy organization.

Allowing a minimum period of two years to elapse following the end of the validation and verification consultancy is one way of reducing the threat to impartiality to an acceptable level.

KMR shall not outsource validation and verification to a consultancy organization, as this is considered an unacceptable threat to KMR's impartiality. This clause does not apply to individuals contracted as auditors.

KMR's activities shall not be marketed or offered as linked with the activities of an organization that provides validation and verification consultancy. KMR shall take action to correct inappropriate claims by any consultancy organization stating or implying that validation and verification would be simpler, easier, faster, or less expensive if KMR were used. KMR shall not state or imply that validation and verification would be simpler, easier, faster, or less expensive if a specified consultancy organization were used.

To ensure that there is no conflict of interest, personnel who have acted as management of the client or provided consultancy on the client's system shall not be used to take part in an audit or other validation and verification activities for that client within two years following the end of the consultancy.

KMR shall take action to respond to any threats to its impartiality arising from the actions of other persons, bodies, or organizations.

All personnel, including internal and external personnel or committees of KMR, who could influence the validation and verification activities shall act impartially and shall not allow commercial, financial, or other pressures to compromise impartiality.

KMR shall require internal and external personnel to reveal any situation known to them that may present them or KMR with a conflict of interest. KMR shall use this information as input to identifying threats to impartiality raised by the activities of such personnel or by the organizations that employ them, and shall not use such personnel, internal or external, unless they can demonstrate that there is no conflict of interest.