Certification Policies

 

1. IMPARTIALITY POLICY STATEMENT

The Institute shall commit to acting impartially in relation to its applicants, candidates, and certified persons.

 

Certification decisions shall be made in accordance with policies and procedures. Policies and procedures affecting applicants, candidates, and certified persons shall be made public and shall fairly and accurately convey information about the certification programme.

 

The Institute shall understand threats to impartiality that include, but are not limited to, self-interest, activities from related bodies, relationships of personnel, financial interests, favoritism, conflict of interest, familiarity, and intimidation.

 

The Institute shall periodically conduct a threat analysis to determine the potential, both real and perceived, of an individual or an organization to influence certification.

 

The Institute, and every member of its certification team (employees, volunteers, and contractors) commits to the following:

1. impartiality of its testing activities and will not allow various activities (commercial, financial or other pressures) to compromise impartiality in its various activities.
2. Equal opportunities to applicants or candidates who indicate interest in any of the programmes of the Institute. The Institute shall not restrict certification on the grounds of undue financial or other limiting conditions, such as membership of an association or group;

• The Institute does not offer training as part of the certification. Candidates may attend an approved/accredited study centre to prepare for the professional examination.

1. Identifying the risks to impartiality on an on-going basis. This includes those risks that arise from its activities, its relationship with the masses or the risk that form the relationship of its personnel or stakeholders.
2. Maintaining impartiality and competence through clearly defined responsibilities, being responsive to complaints and also preserve the confidentiality of the information obtained and created during the performance of its services. All CIPM’s personnel together with the contractors and committee members shall act impartially.
3. All staff of the Institute shall be made to complete and sign a form (signature sheet for impartiality and confidentiality).

 

 

2. Appeals of Adverse Decisions Policy

 

1. The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) is committed to a fair appeal process on any decision considered to be adverse by applicants, candidates, or certified persons.

 

1. Adverse decisions shall include all administrative decisions made by the Institute to address actions/behaviours considered as violation of the rules, guidelines, policies and Professional Code of Conduct and Ethics guiding its value offerings.

 

• All rules, guidelines and Professional Code of Conduct and Ethics guiding the value offerings of the Institute shall be made accessible to all applicants, candidates or certified members of the Institute in a written format.

 

1. The Institute shall take adverse decisions where the rules, policies, principles and Professional Code of Conduct and Ethics guiding its value offerings are violated.

 

1. Applicants, candidates and certified members of the Institute have the right to appeal adverse decisions where/when necessary to do so.

 

1. The appellant shall send all appeals of decisions made by the Institute in writing not later than 30 calendar days from the postmark date on the original letter of denial.

 

• The Institute shall acknowledge the receipt of the appeal in writing within 5 working days.

 

• The Institute shall either establish a new Appeal Committee or make use of the existing ones as the case may be.

1. Upon receipt of an appeal, the Institute’s relevant Appeal Panel/Committee will gather all evidence in the case and make final decision. Within 30 calendar days from the date of the correspondence, the Institute will respond to the appellant in writing. Where there is need for extension beyond 30 calendar days, the appellant shall be informed before the expiration of the first 30 calendar days.

 

3. Record Retention Policy
4. Only authorized persons shall have access to the records kept by or on behalf of the Institute.
5. All Examination Answer Scripts (where applicable) shall be stored in security bags and kept in a secured location.

• Candidates’ answers to online examination questions shall be stored on the examination platform and the service provider in charge of the online examination conduct shall be held accountable to the terms and conditions of the SLA.

1. All records relating to the examination scripts shall be retained for a minimum of 7 years.