Privacy Policy & Cookie Notice

1. Introduction & Scope

The United Kingdom Accreditation Board ("UKAB", "we", "our", or "us") is dedicated to upholding the highest standards of confidentiality, transparency, and data integrity. As an independent commercial accreditation authority evaluating conformity assessment bodies (CABs) under international principles (including ISO/IEC 17011), we handle operational, organizational, and public registry information with strict adherence to the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

2. Information We Collect

Depending on your interaction with UKAB, we may collect and process the following categories of data:

• Inquiries & Communications: Full name, professional title, organization name, corporate email address, telephone number, and message contents when you contact our secretariat, submit scheme applications, or file appeals.
• Public Registry Verification Queries: Certificate numbers and organization names entered into the Public Verification Portal to authenticate accredited certification credentials.
• Accreditation Assessment Documentation: Technical assessor reports, surveillance logs, scheme scopes, and corporate governance documentation supplied by Conformity Assessment Bodies during formal accreditation workflows.
• Technical & Analytical Logs: Anonymized server logs, IP addresses (truncated), browser type, device information, and pages accessed to ensure cyber defense, operational uptime, and load balancing.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under Article 6 of the UK GDPR, we process personal and institutional data on the following lawful bases:

• Legitimate Interests: Operating the global accreditation register, validating the authenticity of issued conformity certificates, preventing fraudulent claims, and maintaining technical infrastructure.
• Contractual Necessity: Administering formal accreditation agreements, scheme evaluations, surveillance cycles, and licensing of the UKAB Accreditation Mark.
• Legal & Impartiality Compliance: Upholding documented dispute resolution, complaint procedures, and anti-fraud surveillance in alignment with ISO/IEC 17011.

4. Cookie Policy & Tracking Technologies

UKAB operates an essential, privacy-first cookie policy under the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR):

• Strictly Necessary Cookies: We utilize minimal session cookies (such as cookies-consent) solely to record your privacy choices and ensure seamless navigation security. These cookies do not track cross-site activity.
• No Third-Party Advertising: We do not deploy third-party advertising cookies, retargeting pixels, or behavioral tracking beacons.
• Cookie Management: You can accept or decline non-essential cookies via our on-page cookie consent banner or manage cookie controls directly in your web browser settings.

5. Public Certificate Verification Registry

In accordance with international accreditation governance, accredited certification records (including company name, certification number, standard, scope, award date, and active/expired validity status) are made publicly accessible on our website. This public transparency prevents market deception, validates supply chain compliance, and satisfies the global trade requirement for verifiable conformity evidence.

6. Data Security & Retention

All database communications utilize encrypted TLS/SSL channels, with access strictly restricted to authorized secretariat personnel. We retain accreditation registry records for the duration of the accreditation term plus statutory auditing intervals, after which records are archived or securely anonymized.

7. Your Rights Under UK GDPR

Under UK data protection law, you possess enforceable rights regarding your personal information:

• Right to access personal data held about you.
• Right to rectification of inaccurate or outdated information.
• Right to erasure ("right to be forgotten"), subject to statutory accreditation archive obligations.
• Right to restrict or object to processing under legitimate interests.

To exercise any of these rights, contact our Data Protection Officer at info@ukab.biz.

8. Contacting the Secretariat or ICO

If you have any questions regarding this Privacy Policy or wish to lodge an inquiry, contact: