It is understandable, that according to EVS-EN ISO/IEC 17065:2012 p. 4.2.6 a)-d) CB shall not offer the design, manufacturing etc. and consultation regarding the product to be certified by the CB.
Regarding p.4.2.6.d), we would like to clarify whether the CB can offer the consultation to its client, when the offered consultation is related to a completely different field, which is not related to the product to be certified?
In other words, can CB offer consultations to its client in areas in which they do not certify?
September 2024
YES
In the context of ISO/IEC 17065, consultancy is defined as participation in the designing, manufacturing, installing, maintaining or distributing of a certified product / process / service or a product / process / service to be certified (see ISO/IEC 17065, §3.2). According to ISO/IEC 17065, §4.2.6 d), the CB shall refrain from offering or providing consultancy as defined in §3.2 to its clients. Moreover, the CB shall not offer or provide management system consultancy or internal auditing to its clients where the certification scheme requires the evaluation of the client’s management system, as outlined in ISO/IEC 17065, §4.2.6e).
Other types of consultancy activities or consultancy to its client in areas which they do not certify are not strictly prohibited, however any activities of the CB other than certification activities shall be subject to evaluation of the associated risks to impartiality and of the potential occurrence of conflicts of interest.