Zurich Compliance & Ethics Charter

Our Commitment

Zurich Inspection’s commitment is simple: our findings must remain independent, factual, and usable.

This means inspection results cannot be adjusted to please a supplier, reassure a client, protect a commercial relationship, or make a situation look better than it is.

The same principle applies to all employees, inspectors, auditors, engineers, subcontractors, and representatives acting on behalf of Zurich Inspection, in every country and every assignment.

Independence and Objectivity

Zurich inspectors, auditors, and engineers must not accept instructions from suppliers that could affect the result of an inspection or audit.

Clients may define the scope, specifications, and acceptance criteria, but the findings must remain based on what is observed, checked, measured, reviewed, or documented during the assignment.

Any real or perceived conflict of interest must be declared before the assignment starts or as soon as it becomes known.

This is important because independence can be affected by both sides: supplier pressure and client pressure.

Zurich reports what is verified.

Inspection and audit findings must reflect the conditions observed during the assignment, within the confirmed scope and available access.

If information is incomplete, documents are unavailable, products are not ready, access is restricted, or a requirement cannot be confirmed, this must be stated clearly.

Unverified supplier statements, assumptions, or verbal explanations must not be presented as facts.

Report Integrity

A Zurich report must reflect the assignment as performed.

Findings may be corrected if an error is identified, but they must not be changed to hide a nonconformity, soften a conclusion, remove relevant evidence, or create the impression that an unchecked point was verified.

If a requirement cannot be checked because of missing documents, restricted access, unavailable samples, supplier delays, unclear specifications, or site conditions, this must be stated clearly.

A report should never create false confidence.

Compliance With Laws and Standards

Zurich Inspection operates in accordance with applicable laws and regulations in the countries where assignments are performed, including anti-corruption, labor, health and safety, and data protection requirements.

Inspection and audit work is also performed against the agreed scope, client specifications, applicable standards, approved procedures, contractual requirements, or audit criteria.

Where requirements are unclear, conflicting, unavailable, or outside the confirmed scope, Zurich may request clarification before reporting a conclusion.

Anti-Bribery and Anti-Corruption

Zurich Inspection has zero tolerance for bribery, corruption, or improper influence.

No employee, inspector, auditor, engineer, subcontractor, supplier, or client representative may offer, request, accept, or suggest any payment, gift, benefit, favor, or advantage that could influence the outcome of an inspection, audit, report, or technical conclusion.

This includes attempts to change results, hide defects, ignore missing documents, remove photos, alter quantities, influence sampling, accelerate approval, or avoid reporting a nonconformity.

Any such situation must be refused and escalated.

Confidentiality and Data Protection

Inspection and audit assignments often involve sensitive information: supplier details, product specifications, drawings, reports, photos, commercial documents, production records, technical files, worker information, and project data.

Zurich Inspection treats this information as confidential.

Information obtained during an assignment is used only for preparing, performing, reviewing, and delivering the agreed service. It is not published, reused, or shared without authorization, except where required by law.

Photos, reports, and documents are handled with care to protect client, supplier, and project confidentiality.

Professional Conduct

Zurich representatives must act with professionalism during every assignment.

Inspectors, auditors, engineers, and coordinators must communicate clearly, respect site rules, avoid inappropriate behavior, and maintain a factual tone even when findings are difficult.

Discrimination, harassment, intimidation, aggressive behavior, falsification, concealment, or disrespectful conduct is not tolerated.

Professional conduct also means staying within the agreed scope, avoiding unsupported conclusions, and separating facts from opinions.

Health, Safety, and Responsibility

The safety of Zurich personnel and all people involved in an assignment is a priority.

Zurich representatives must follow applicable site safety rules, use required personal protective equipment where applicable, and avoid actions that create unnecessary risk.

If unsafe conditions are observed during the assignment and within the confirmed scope, they are reported clearly. If a situation presents immediate danger, the assignment may be paused or escalated.

Zurich’s role is to observe, verify, and report. Site management remains responsible for controlling its own operations, personnel, equipment, and safety systems.

Reporting Concerns

Any concern related to compliance, ethics, or integrity may be reported without fear of retaliation.

Good-faith reporting is encouraged and handled confidentially.

Accountability

This charter applies to everyone acting on behalf of Zurich Inspection.

Employees, inspectors, auditors, engineers, subcontractors, and representatives are expected to understand these principles and apply them during assignments.

If a breach is identified, Zurich may take corrective action, remove the person from the assignment, stop cooperation, revise the report, notify the client, or take other appropriate action depending on the situation.

Accountability protects the credibility of Zurich’s work.

Closing Statement

Inspection has no value if the report cannot be trusted.

Zurich Inspection’s credibility depends on independence, evidence, clear reporting, and responsible conduct. These principles are not separate from our work. They are what make the work useful.

Integrity is not an option in inspection. It is the condition that makes verification meaningful.

Why This Matters to Clients

Clients use Zurich Inspection because they need decisions based on facts.

• A supplier may say production is ready.
• A shipment may appear complete.
• A product may look acceptable from a distance.
• A factory may present documents that do not fully reflect daily practice.
• A technical project may move forward before every point has been verified.

The charter exists to protect the credibility of the inspection process. It helps ensure that what Zurich reports is based on evidence, not pressure, convenience, or assumptions.