Conflict of Interest Policy

Greece Lean Six Sigma (GLSS)

Effective Date: 02.05.2024
Last Review: 02.05.2025
Owner: Victoria Tsolidou, Founder & Managing Director
Version: 1.0
Status: Public Policy Document

1. Purpose

The purpose of this Conflict of Interest Policy is to ensure that all activities of Greece Lean Six Sigma (GLSS) are conducted with objectivity, integrity, transparency, and professional independence.

GLSS is committed to preventing, identifying, disclosing, and managing conflicts of interest that could compromise—or be perceived to compromise—the impartiality of:

  • Training delivery
  • Assessment and certification decisions
  • Consulting and advisory services
  • Procurement and partnerships
  • Governance and strategic decision-making

This policy safeguards trust among learners, clients, partners, accreditation bodies, and the wider professional community.

2. Scope of Application

This policy applies to:

  • The Founder & Managing Director
  • All trainers, assessors, examiners, and invigilators
  • Employees, contractors, and external collaborators
  • Authorized partners, agents, and affiliates
  • Members of any advisory, academic, or certification governance body
  • Third parties involved in assessment, certification, or decision-making processes

It covers all GLSS activities, including training, certification, consulting, audits, examinations, procurement, partnerships, and marketing.

3. Definition of Conflict of Interest

A conflict of interest arises when personal, professional, financial, or other interests interfere—or appear to interfere—with the ability to act objectively, independently, and in the best interests of GLSS and its stakeholders.

Conflicts may be:

  • Actual – a direct conflict exists
  • Potential – a conflict could reasonably arise
  • Perceived – a third party could reasonably believe a conflict exists

Perceived conflicts are treated with the same seriousness as actual conflicts.

4. Types of Conflicts of Interest

Conflicts of interest may include, but are not limited to:

4.1 Financial Interests

  • Financial benefit from clients, candidates, suppliers, or competitors
  • Ownership, shares, or paid roles in organizations linked to GLSS activities

4.2 Professional or Role Conflicts

  • Acting simultaneously as trainer and assessor for the same candidate
  • Assessing one’s own trainees or projects
  • Consulting for an organization while certifying the same scope

4.3 Personal Relationships

  • Family, close personal, or intimate relationships with learners, candidates, clients, or partners
  • Supervisory or evaluative roles involving acquaintances

4.4 Competitive or External Activities

  • Engagements with competing training or certification bodies that may compromise impartiality
  • Use of GLSS intellectual property for external benefit

5. Principles and Commitments

GLSS commits to:

  • Impartiality: All decisions are based solely on objective evidence and defined criteria
  • Transparency: Conflicts must be declared promptly and openly
  • Accountability: Conflicts are documented, assessed, and managed
  • Fairness: Equal treatment of all learners, clients, and partners
  • Ethical Governance: Alignment with ISO 26000, ESG principles, and professional ethics

6. Disclosure Obligations

All persons within the scope of this policy must:

  • Declare any actual, potential, or perceived conflict of interest immediately upon identification
  • Complete a Conflict of Interest Declaration:
    • At onboarding
    • Annually
    • Before assignment to training, assessment, certification, or consulting activities
  • Update declarations whenever circumstances change

Failure to disclose constitutes a serious breach of policy.

7. Management of Conflicts

Upon disclosure, GLSS will assess the conflict and apply appropriate controls, including:

  • Recusal from decision-making, assessment, or certification
  • Reassignment of roles or responsibilities
  • Independent review or second assessor
  • Separation of training and assessment functions
  • Termination of involvement in specific activities

All actions are proportionate, documented, and auditable.

8. Certification and Assessment Safeguards

To ensure impartiality in certification activities, GLSS ensures that:

  • Trainers do not assess their own trainees
  • Assessors are independent of consulting activities related to the same project
  • Certification decisions are based on documented evidence and standardized criteria
  • Appeals and complaints are handled independently of initial decisions

This section aligns with ISO/IEC 17024 and ASTM E2659 principles.

9. Governance and Oversight

  • The Founder & Managing Director is responsible for enforcing this policy
  • Conflicts are reviewed as part of:
    • Management Reviews
    • Internal audits
    • Certification governance reviews
  • Records are maintained confidentially within the GLSS governance system

10. Breach of Policy

Failure to comply with this policy may result in:

  • Removal from assignments
  • Suspension or termination of collaboration
  • Withdrawal of authorization (trainer, assessor, partner)
  • Legal or contractual action where applicable

11. Alignment with Standards and Policies

This policy aligns with and supports:

  • ISO 9001 – Quality Management
  • ISO 21001 – Educational Organizations
  • ISO/IEC 17024 – Certification of Persons
  • ISO 26000 – Social Responsibility
  • ESG Governance Principles
  • GLSS Code of Ethics & Behaviour Policy

12. Review and Continuous Improvement

This policy is reviewed annually or upon significant organizational, regulatory, or operational changes.

Updates are communicated to all relevant stakeholders and published on the GLSS website.

Issued by:
Victoria Tsolidou
Founder & Managing Director
Greece Lean Six Sigma