Code of Conduct for Inspectors and Auditors

Being an auditor or inspector is one of the most demanding jobs in any industry. It requires that the individual be an accurate, impartial, meticulous and ethical assessor of processes and products. Inspectors and auditors are expected to make balanced assessments of all relevant circumstances and to not be unduly influenced by external or their own interests and judgements. As inspections and audits are one of our core businesses, we recognise the need to ensure that our inspectors and auditors are of the highest quality. To this end, we maintain a strict Code of Conduct for our inspectors and auditors that they are all required to abide by. Below are some highlights of our Code of Conduct.

TÜV SÜD inspectors and auditors are:

• Prohibited from accepting any hospitality, entertainment and gifts in cash or kind from vendors, agents or any business associates with whom TÜV SÜD is dealing.
• Required to reach the inspection or audit site on their own. They are prohibited to use any transportation that has been provided specifically for them unless pre-approved by TÜV SÜD.
• Not to act in any way prejudicial to the reputation or interest of the inspection and audit organisation.
• Required to limit contact with vendors and business associates to professional assignments only.
• To maintain client confidentiality at all times (Except for the purpose of meeting governmental and legal legislation or statutory requirements). TÜV SÜD will not disclose any information obtained in the inspector’s and auditor’s process to third parties.

Excellence and professionalism

TÜV SÜD takes great pride in the conduct and performance of its employees. Even more so when it comes to inspections. Inspectors and auditors are expected to maintain the highest level of professional objectivity in collating, evaluating and communicating information about the inspection or audit. TÜV SÜD views any alleged lapses in an inspector’s or auditor’s conduct or performance very seriously. If needed, the company will launch a formal enquiry and subsequent disciplinary actions range from warnings to dismissal.

Quality starts right at the beginning

It is important to select the best and most well-suited candidates as inspectors and auditors. Thus, TÜV SÜD only recruits graduates from related fields. For example, recruiting textile graduates to become textile inspectors. Intensive training is provided to each and every
inspector when they enter TÜV SÜD. Also, before they are given individual assignments, they must display consistent and outstanding results.

Training includes but is not limited to:

• Induction
• Code of Conduct

• TÜV SÜD Standard Operating Procedure
• Inspection procedure and methodology
• Defect identification
• Defect classification
• Defect terminology
• Report writing
• Case studies
• Role play
• Work instruction

Ensuring continued excellence

We are committed to ensuring that our inspectors and auditors remain at the very forefront of the industry in terms of skills and industry knowledge by providing them with ongoing training and conducting quality assessments.

The training and quality assessments include but are not limited to:

• Annual refresher courses on inspection and audit skills
• Surprises audits on our own inspectors and auditors conducted by TÜV SÜD’s internal Quality Assurance department
• Reviews of inspection and audit reports by the respective inspection or audit heads and a neutral person

Why choose TÜV SÜD?

TÜV SÜD is an internationally renowned organisation that offers a one-stop solution for inspections and audits across a widerange of industries. Our strong clientoriented approach ensures excellent customer service and technical support, while our commitment to quality and safety is universally recognised around the world. With our strict Code of Conduct for inspectors and auditors, you are assured of independent and impartial expertise. In the event of a complaint with regards to any inspector or auditor, we will engage a third party, Ethics Point, to carry out a thorough investigation.