Consultants that receive commissions for recommending registrars to their clients.

It is an open secret that many registrars/CB’s offer monetary commissions to consultants that recommend their certification services to the consultants clients. Some CB’s have a “network” of “approved” or endorsed consultants and it seems that a symbiotic relationship is formed.

I wonder how Covers feel about such arrangements and if it constitutes any threat to impartially. Should consultants disclose the kickback they receive from a CB to their clients? Does it make a difference? Do people care at all about such arrangements?

ISO 17021-1 prohibits the joint marketing and promotion of consulting and certification services. But if an organization seeking certification hears from a consultant that a specific CB is “the best” and they (the consultant) has a track record of 100% first time certification with that very CB, would that be ethical?

Opinions? Thoughts?

To me it's questionable, that's one of the reasons I do nothing other than audit even though technically I could "consult" with my current relationship, I don't even teach anymore.

I always have a problem with claims for "Best". How is "Best" qualified or quantified? What's Best for me might not be for you. I belong to a couple FB groups for Corvette owners and there are always those wanting to know best brakes, best gas, best this and that, I truthfully answer "My best may or may not be yours, decide for yourself". Pi>>es a few folks off, but that's the truth. I think I've even said that here.

The guy who helped us gave us a few recommendations for auditors. It worked out well for us. I don’t think they had a monetary relation ship but would recommend each other when appropriate.

Sidney,

As a firm of independent management system consultants our policy was never to recommend a specific registrar or certification body.

Instead we helped our clients to develop their selection (and re-selection) criteria.

Those criteria included accreditation for our client’s industry and “likely to enhance reputation” among their existing and future customers.

Our clients mostly seemed to value independent advice (and independent accredited certification).

John