There are more than 3000 companies from 300 locations

*And that number is growing.

PRINCIPLES

Impartiality
So that SAS can offer a certification which provides reliability, impartiality and its perception by the client are considered to be of utmost importance by the Company.

The fact that part of SAS income arises from the payment of the certification, made by its client as an usual procedure of certification organizations, may pose a potential threat to impartiality.

In order to achieve, and keep reliability, SAS decisions are based on objective abidance evidence (or non-abidance), obtained by SAS, and its decisions are not subjected to influences by other interests or third parties interests.

The threats to impartiality include:
a) Own interests threats: that arise from a person or an organization that acts in their own interests. Example: Own financial interest represents a threat likely to jeopardize certification impartiality.
b) Self-evaluation threats: Threats that arise from a person or organization that self- evaluates its own work. Example: Management Systems Auditing and/or products of a client to which a certification organization has provided management systems consulting, would represent a threat.
c) Familiarity (or reliability) threats: threats that arise from a person or organization that, being too familiar, or trusting another particular person, does not look for audit evidence.
d) Intimidation threats: threats that arise from a person or organization when they realize they are being intimidated or coerced either in public or discretely. Example: a threat of being replaced, or reported to a supervisor.

Proficiency
Proficiency of the Quality Management personnel maintained by SAS is required in order to present a certification that provides reliability. Proficiency is the ability to apply knowledge and skills.

Responsibility
The Organization “Client”, and not SAS, is the one that takes responsibility for conforming with certification requirements.

SAS is responsible for evaluating enough objective evidence on which a certification decision might be based. Based on audit conclusions, SAS takes its decision to provide the certification if enough evidence of conformity is found, or not providing certification, in case there is not enough evidence of conformity.

NOTE: All audits are based on random checkings within the management system and/or product of an organization. Thus, it is not a guarantee of 100 % conformity with requirements.

Transparency
SAS offers public access or discloses appropriate and timely information regarding its auditing and certification process as well as the status of any organization certification in order to obtain trust in the integrity and credibility of the certifications. Transparency is a principle of access or disclosure of proper information.

To obtain or maintain the reliability on certification, SAS offers proper access or discloses information (not confidential) about conclusions of specific audits (such as, audits responding to complaints) .

Confidentiality
In order to obtain privileged access to information needed to adequately evaluate the conformity with certification requirements, SAS keeps as confidential all private information about a client.

Ability to address complaints
Parties that trust the certification expect to have their complaints promptly investigated and, if found factual, they must rely that complaints will be adequately managed and with reasonable efforts to have it resolved.

The effectiveness of response to complaints is an important means of protection for SAS, its clients, and other users against certification errors, omissions, or improper behavior. The reliability of the certification activities is protected when complaints are adequately managed.

Why can a management system be so important to my company?
The answer is quite simple: it enhances the efficiency of your business. In order to transform competitive pressure into competitive advantage you need to be in control and systematically improve your operational performance.

An adequate management system may help you to focus and organize processes that will boost your companys performance.

Together with SAS, you will go beyond a mere conformity, with a certification process tailor -made for the specific needs of your organization.

Geographic areas of operation
SAS, operates within the national territory, where it has auditors in several states, and abroad with clients in Africa and America