Fraud and Corruption in the ISO Certificate Scheme is Costing Real Lives
Oxebridge Quality Resources and its outspoken founder Christopher Paris have worked for over 15 years to improve the trust and value of ISO 9001 and related management systems certifications. Chris has volunteered thousands of hours working to ensure such certificates are issued in accordance with international rules and law, as well as to ensure the standards themselves are written with the input of a broad spectrum of industry representatives.
At heart is the growing evidence that ISO certification schemes are inherently flawed, causing real-world risks to public safety, such as we have seen in the Takata airbag scandal, Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster, and VW emissions scandal. ISO certifications are the connective tissue that connect these incidents, and many others, and yet the various players remain uninvestigated, unquestioned, and -- worst of all -- unregulated.
Oxebridge is fighting to improve this situation and have the appropriate parties investigated. However, the industry is dominated by Certification Body registrars (CBs) who violate the rules, and sometimes the law, in order to issue certificates to any company that asks, even those that produce products that kill. The Accreditation Bodies, tasked with overseeing the scheme, are paid by the CBs, so refuse to carry out their obligations. Standards bodies, such as ISO itself, stuff their committees full of CB reps and consultants, denying American companies the ability to participate in development of their standards. Worse still, a host of unaccredied "certificate mill operators" issue fraudulent certificates to anyone who can pay, putting the public at risk of injury, illness or death.
These players have used a variety of dirty tricks and tactics to crush those, like Oxebridge, who try to enforce the rules. Harassment, death threats, intimidation are all daily occurrences. Multiple sites have opened up defaming Oxebridge and supporters of its industry-wide reform efforts. They accuse innocent people of crimes, engage in "doxing" of private information, all while hiding behind fake names and anonymous websites.
But defending US businesses and standards users isn't cheap. Oxebridge needs the help of the stakeholders it protects, including automotive, aerospace, IT, and manufacturing firms. Oxebridge needs the breathing space to continue to push and ensure compliance with accreditation rules and international law.
Now it's time to ask for help. If your company has seen a benefit fo the work done by Oxebridge, or if you are fed up with the bullying tactics of registrars and their auditors, now you can help take action. Help Oxebridge on two fronts:
- First, to prosecute class action lawsuits on behalf of industry, to force the incumbent authorities into compliance.
- Second, to help Oxebridge and ISO standards users defend themselves against the frivolous lawsuits the incumbents user to harass those who would hold them accountable.
Consider giving what you can to the ISO Standards Users Legal Defense Fund. All funds go towards the stated objectives above, and cannot be used for any other purpose.
