Confidentiality, Privacy and Disclosure

Guardian Assessment Pvt. Ltd. recognizes that inspection activities may provide access to sensitive commercial, operational, technical and personal information. Guardian is responsible for managing information obtained or created during inspection activities through appropriate confidentiality, privacy, security and disclosure controls.

Protected inspection information may include:

• applications, contracts and quotations;
• site layouts and operational information;
• recipes, formulations and production information;
• supplier and customer information;
• photographs, videos and inspector notes;
• food-safety, hygiene and process records;
• samples, laboratory results and supporting data;
• inspection findings and reports;
• complaints, appeals and investigation records; and
• personal information of client personnel and other individuals.

Guardian personnel, contracted inspectors, technical experts, reviewers and relevant service providers are required to protect confidential information. Access is limited to persons who need the information to perform authorized work, complete review, meet contractual requirements or fulfil legal and regulatory obligations.

Information obtained through an inspection will not be used for unrelated commercial purposes or disclosed to another client.

Guardian may disclose information when the client has authorized the disclosure or when disclosure is necessary to deliver an agreed service. Examples may include sending a sample to an agreed laboratory, using an approved technical expert or providing a report to an identified buyer.

The extent and purpose of the disclosure should be agreed before it occurs wherever practicable.

Guardian may be required to disclose information by law, a court, a competent regulator or another legally authorized body. Unless prohibited by law, Guardian will notify the affected client of the information required before disclosure.

Information about a client received from a complainant, regulator or another third party will be treated as confidential between Guardian and the source to the extent legally permissible. The identity of the source will not ordinarily be disclosed to the client without the source's consent unless required by law.

Guardian may publish information that:

• is already lawfully available to the public;
• the client has authorized for publication;
• Guardian is legally required to disclose; or
• relates to Guardian's own services, policies and public status.

Inspection results and client identities are not made public merely because Guardian performed the inspection.

Guardian uses reasonable administrative and technical controls to protect inspection information against loss, unauthorized access, alteration or disclosure. Records are retained for periods determined by contractual, legal, regulatory and management-system requirements and are disposed of securely when no longer required.

Electronic communication carries inherent risks. Clients should use agreed secure channels when transferring particularly sensitive or large files.

Photographs, video or audio recordings are taken only when relevant to the agreed inspection or required evidence. Site restrictions should be communicated before inspection. Any restriction that prevents collection of necessary objective evidence may limit or prevent completion of the assignment.

This page applies specifically to inspection activities and should be read with Guardian's general website Privacy Policy.