ICAC launches corruption prevention guide for testing and certification industry
2011-11-4
The ICAC has produced a corruption prevention guide to help the testing and certification industry, one of the economic sectors where Hong Kong enjoys definite competitive advantages, to strengthen corporate governance, effective management and internal control.
Launching the guidebook at a seminar yesterday (November 3), ICAC’s Director of Corruption Prevention, Mr Tse Man-shing, noted that as the industry provides assurance on product standards, professional ethics and integrity was of utmost importance.
Jointly organised by the ICAC, Hong Kong Council for Testing and Certification (HKCTC) and Hong Kong Accreditation Service (HKAS), the seminar was attended by over 200 managerial staff of testing and certification service providers in both the public and private sectors.
Sharing similar views, Chairman of HKCTC, Professor Ching Pak-chung noted that integrity was the cornerstone of the “Tested in Hong Kong, Certified in Hong Kong” branding to ensure that services could be provided in a reliable, consistent and impartial manner.
At the seminar, Chairman of Association of Construction Materials Laboratories, Mr Michael Lee; and General Committee Member of Hong Kong Association for Testing, Inspection and Certification, Mr Chapman Chan, also shared with participants good practices to meet challenges commonly faced by the industry.
The ICAC guide provides practical advice and recommendations for the testing, inspection and certification industry in regard to work areas vulnerable to corruption.
In handling testing samples, testing bodies are advised to record all samples in a central register and store them at a designated location to enhance traceability, security and prevent tampering of samples.
Unauthorised use or disclosure of the samples should be strictly prohibited to prevent the leak of product information of market value and unauthorised sale of samples.
The ICAC also recommends testing and certification bodies to devise a standard inspection checklist spelling out all items and areas to be checked. Meanwhile, inspection duties should be assigned by rotation to ensure impartially.
As employees may conduct inspection overseas, there should be clear guidelines on the acceptance of meals, entertainment, passage and accommodation offered by clients.
In addition, format of reports and certificates should be standardised while there should be established channels for verification on authenticity.
Copies of the guidebook will be distributed to major testing laboratories, inspection bodies and certification bodies. An online version is available on ICAC’s corporate website ( www.icac.org.hk ).
Launching the guidebook at a seminar yesterday (November 3), ICAC’s Director of Corruption Prevention, Mr Tse Man-shing, noted that as the industry provides assurance on product standards, professional ethics and integrity was of utmost importance.
Jointly organised by the ICAC, Hong Kong Council for Testing and Certification (HKCTC) and Hong Kong Accreditation Service (HKAS), the seminar was attended by over 200 managerial staff of testing and certification service providers in both the public and private sectors.
Sharing similar views, Chairman of HKCTC, Professor Ching Pak-chung noted that integrity was the cornerstone of the “Tested in Hong Kong, Certified in Hong Kong” branding to ensure that services could be provided in a reliable, consistent and impartial manner.
At the seminar, Chairman of Association of Construction Materials Laboratories, Mr Michael Lee; and General Committee Member of Hong Kong Association for Testing, Inspection and Certification, Mr Chapman Chan, also shared with participants good practices to meet challenges commonly faced by the industry.
The ICAC guide provides practical advice and recommendations for the testing, inspection and certification industry in regard to work areas vulnerable to corruption.
In handling testing samples, testing bodies are advised to record all samples in a central register and store them at a designated location to enhance traceability, security and prevent tampering of samples.
Unauthorised use or disclosure of the samples should be strictly prohibited to prevent the leak of product information of market value and unauthorised sale of samples.
The ICAC also recommends testing and certification bodies to devise a standard inspection checklist spelling out all items and areas to be checked. Meanwhile, inspection duties should be assigned by rotation to ensure impartially.
As employees may conduct inspection overseas, there should be clear guidelines on the acceptance of meals, entertainment, passage and accommodation offered by clients.
In addition, format of reports and certificates should be standardised while there should be established channels for verification on authenticity.
Copies of the guidebook will be distributed to major testing laboratories, inspection bodies and certification bodies. An online version is available on ICAC’s corporate website ( www.icac.org.hk ).