This Impartiality Policy establishes the institutional and regulatory framework of principles, governance mechanisms, procedures, and commitments of the Hellenic Institute of Non-Destructive Testing (HINDT), with the objective of ensuring impartiality, independence, and objectivity across all personnel certification activities. This Policy is fully aligned with the requirements of the international standards EN ISO/IEC 17024 and EN ISO 9712, as well as with the fundamental principles of good governance, accountability, transparency, and organizational integrity. The primary purpose of this Policy is to ensure that all certification decisions are made exclusively on the basis of objective, documented, and verifiable evidence, thereby strengthening the credibility, institutional validity, and international recognition of HINDT’s certification schemes.

HINDT recognizes impartiality as a fundamental prerequisite for the validity, credibility, and transparency of certification processes and is committed to operating at the highest level of professional integrity and ethical conduct. In this context, HINDT:

• Ensures that all certification decisions are based solely on objective criteria and documented evidence relating to candidates’ knowledge, skills, and professional competence.
• Operates with full independence from commercial, financial, administrative, political, or other influences that could compromise impartial judgment or the credibility of certification processes.
• Systematically prevents, identifies, evaluates, and manages any actual or potential conflict of interest through established, documented, and controlled procedures.
• Ensures that all personnel, examiners, assessors, committee members, and external collaborators act without bias, with professional independence, and in full compliance with ethical principles.
• Promotes a culture of impartiality by encouraging responsible professional conduct and the timely reporting of potential risks or pressures that may affect objective decision- making.

HINDT maintains its organizational, administrative, and operational independence in order to prevent any undue or disproportionate influence on assessment procedures and certification decisions. In particular, the Hellenic Institute of Non-Destructive Testing:

• Does not provide training, coaching, or preparatory services for candidates that could create role conflicts or compromise the objectivity of the certification process.
• Does not permit natural or legal persons providing related training services to intervene, directly or indirectly, in assessment, examination, or decision-making processes.
• Ensures that final certification decisions are taken by individuals or collective bodies that have not participated in candidates’ training, preparation, or assessment.
• Implements a clear segregation of duties and appropriate levels of oversight, thereby reinforcing institutional integrity and transparency within its organizational structure.

HINDT applies a systematic, preventive, and documented approach to identifying, evaluating, and addressing risks that may threaten its impartiality. This approach is integrated into the organization’s broader risk management framework and includes, in particular:

• Regular and structured review of all certification activities by the Impartiality Committee.
• Periodic assessment of potential sources of conflict of interest at both organizational and individual levels.
• Maintenance of an updated register of impartiality risks and continuous monitoring of the effectiveness of control and mitigation measures.
• Adoption of corrective and preventive actions in cases where deviations, weaknesses, or systemic risks are identified.
• Integration of findings into the Management Review process to ensure the continuous strengthening of the impartiality assurance framework.

The HINDT Impartiality Committee is set up in a way that ensures balanced representation of key stakeholders, such as industry, educational organizations, certified individuals, and technical experts.

• Oversee the impartiality of the certification body and monitor compliance of certification processes with applicable standards and internal policies.
• Provide documented recommendations for the improvement of procedures and the prevention or effective management of conflicts of interest.
• Submit findings, recommendations, and proposals directly to Management to ensure the timely adoption of appropriate administrative or corrective measures.
• Enhance transparency and stakeholder confidence in the certification system.

HINDT ensures that:

• All information received, generated, or processed within the framework of certification activities is treated as strictly confidential, protected against unauthorized access, and used solely for the purposes for which it is collected, in accordance with applicable data protection legislation.
• All candidates and clients are treated equally and without discrimination on the basis of gender, age, nationality, religion, professional affiliation, financial status, or any other characteristic not directly related to the defined certification criteria.
• Assessment criteria are applied consistently and uniformly, ensuring fair and equitable treatment.

HINDT Management:

• Actively supports impartiality as a fundamental principle of the organization’s operation, credibility, and strategic development.
• Provides adequate and appropriate human, financial, and material resources for the effective operation of risk management and impartiality assurance mechanisms.
• Ensures that all decisions are taken with objectivity, proper documentation, transparency, and institutional independence.
• Promotes a culture of ethics, compliance, and professional accountability at all levels of the organization.
• Periodically reviews the effectiveness of the impartiality framework, confirming its continued suitability and adequacy.

This Impartiality Policy is officially approved by HINDT's Management and serves as a binding reference framework for all of the organization's certification activities.

The policy is reviewed periodically — and at least annually or whenever deemed necessary — to ensure its ongoing relevance, adequacy, and effectiveness in relation to:

• Developments in the regulatory and technological environment;
• The strategic priorities of the organization;
• The needs and expectations of interested parties; and
• International best practices.

The Policy is made available to personnel, collaborators, and the wider public through the Institute’s official communication channels, thereby reinforcing transparency and accountability.