ASTQB understands the importance of impartiality in carrying out our certification activities. We actively manage conflicts of interest, and ensure the objectivity of our certification activities. The ASTQB structure is separated into governance (our board of directors), administration (our administrative staff), and certification development, design and review (our technical advisory group). The ASTQB board of directors provides oversight on both the administration as well as the certification development, design and review. The ASTQB board of directors maintains and each director annually acknowledges its conflict of interest policy. Those individuals who provide training services are excluded from the specific activities that would pose a conflict of interest in ASTQB. ASTQB does not require education or training as a prerequisite for certification. A candidate should not infer that ASTQB training makes ASTQB certification is simpler, easier, or less expensive. ASTQB prohibits exam proctoring of any candidate(s) by an individual who has trained the candidate(s) for that certification. Moreover, personnel who make the decision on certification shall not have participated in the examination or training of the candidate. ASTQB will act impartially in relation to all applicants, candidates and certified persons. ASTQB will not consider identifying information when accepting, reviewing or certifying candidates or certified persons. ASTQB certification will not be restrictive or unfairly impede or inhibit access on the grounds of undue economic or other limiting conditions, nor will association membership be required for certification. ASTQB will be responsible for the impartiality of its certification activities and shall not allow commercial, financial or other pressures to compromise impartiality. ASTQB will identify, analyze, document and eliminate or minimize threats to its impartiality on an ongoing basis and certification activities shall be structured and managed so as to safeguard impartiality. ASTQB requires its personnel to declare any potential conflict of interest in any candidate.
