ISO 20252, the international standard for Market, Opinion and Social Research, has been gaining traction in the industry.
However, unlike the management system standards you might be familiar with, ISO 20252 operates slightly differently. In addition to the core Quality Management framework, it also has a set of six Annexes organisations can attest to. Despite their often complex nature, few market research firms find every clause applicable to them, which is why one of the requirements is to document and publish a Statement of Applicability (SoA).
In this blog we look at how organisations can adapt the standard to meet their needs, and satisfy ISO 20252 certification requirements.
ISO 20252: Not Attested vs Excluded
Organisations choose which of the Six Annexes of ISO 20252 they wish to attest to, at least one Annex must be selected. Other annexes can be added at a later date.
The choice of attested annexes is often driven by expectations in the supply chain, while choosing not to attest to an annex can be driven by costs and resourcing factors.
On the other hand, excluding specific non-applicable clauses in the framework part of the standard (clause 4) or within Attested Annexes involves a more granular approach.
An organisation may find that certain clauses within an annex are not relevant to their operations, while others are.
For example, if an organisation does not use access panels, they may choose to exclude Annex A5, which covers access panels.
This approach allows for greater flexibility and ensures that the organization is only held accountable for the relevant aspects of the standard.
Documentation on the Statement of Applicability
The Statement of Applicability (SoA) is an important document that outlines the scope of an organisation’s compliance to ISO 20252.
It states which annexes the organisation attests to and any clauses that are excluded.
When an organisation chooses not to attest to an annex, this decision is clearly documented in the SoA, along with a justification for why the clause is not applicable.
Publication of the SoA ensures transparency and allows auditors to understand the scope of the organisation’s compliance. It also helps to maintain the integrity of the certification process by ensuring that organisations are only assessed against the relevant parts of the standard.
Conclusion
In summary, the decision to not attest to an annex or exclude specific non-applicable clauses in ISO 20252 depends on the relevance of the annex or clauses to the organisation’s operations.
Both approaches are valid and must be clearly documented in the Statement of Applicability. By doing so, organisations can ensure that their compliance with ISO 20252 is accurately reflected and that they are only held accountable for the relevant aspects of the standard. This transparency not only facilitates the audit process but also reinforces the organisation’s commitment to maintaining high quality standards in their research processes.
Deciding on the right scope for your ISO 20252 certification can be difficult. Our blog ISO 20252:2019 How to Get Your Scope Right! Will tell you more.
If you have any questions or need support implementing the standard, please contact our expert ISO 20252 Consultants.
