Terms and conditions

Introduction

Welcome to AKREDITAS LTD (“Company”, “we”, “our”, “us”)!

These Terms of Service (“Terms”, “Terms of Service”) govern your use of our website located at https://akreditas.org (together or individually “Service”) operated by AKREDITAS LTD.

Our Privacy Policy also governs your use of our Service and explains how we collect, safeguard and disclose information that results from your use of our web pages.

Your agreement with us includes these Terms and our Privacy Policy (“Agreements”). You acknowledge that you have read and understood Agreements, and agree to be bound of them.

If you do not agree with (or cannot comply with) Agreements, then you may not use the Service, but please let us know by emailing at contact@akreditas.org so we can try to find a solution. These Terms apply to all visitors, users and others who wish to access or use Service.

Communications

By using our Service, you agree to subscribe to newsletters, marketing or promotional materials and other information we may send. However, you may opt out of receiving any, or all, of these communications from us by following the unsubscribe link or by emailing at contact@akreditas.org.

Purchases

If you wish to purchase any product or service made available through Service (“Purchase”), you may be asked to supply certain information relevant to your Purchase including but not limited to, your credit or debit card number, the expiration date of your card, your billing address, and your shipping information.

You represent and warrant that: (i) you have the legal right to use any card(s) or other payment method(s) in connection with any Purchase; and that (ii) the information you supply to us is true, correct and complete.

We may employ the use of third party services for the purpose of facilitating payment and the completion of Purchases. By submitting your information, you grant us the right to provide the information to these third parties subject to our Privacy Policy.

We reserve the right to refuse or cancel your order at any time for reasons including but not limited to: product or service availability, errors in the description or price of the product or service, error in your order or other reasons.

We reserve the right to refuse or cancel your order if fraud or an unauthorized or illegal transaction is suspected.

Contests, Sweepstakes and Promotions

Any contests, sweepstakes or other promotions (collectively, “Promotions”) made available through Service may be governed by rules that are separate from these Terms of Service. If you participate in any Promotions, please review the applicable rules as well as our Privacy Policy. If the rules for a Promotion conflict with these Terms of Service, Promotion rules will apply.

Refunds

We issue refunds for Contracts within 15 days of the original purchase of the Contract.

Content

Content found on or through this Service are the property of AKREDITAS LTD or used with permission. You may not distribute, modify, transmit, reuse, download, repost, copy, or use said Content, whether in whole or in part, for commercial purposes or for personal gain, without express advance written permission from us.

Prohibited Uses

1. You may use Service only for lawful purposes and in accordance with Terms. You agree not to use Service:
2. In any way that violates any applicable national or international law or regulation.
3. For the purpose of exploiting, harming, or attempting to exploit or harm minors in any way by exposing them to inappropriate content or otherwise.
4. To transmit, or procure the sending of, any advertising or promotional material, including any “junk mail”, “chain letter,” “spam,” or any other similar solicitation.
5. To impersonate or attempt to impersonate Company, a Company employee, another user, or any other person or entity.
6. In any way that infringes upon the rights of others, or in any way is illegal, threatening, fraudulent, or harmful, or in connection with any unlawful, illegal, fraudulent, or harmful purpose or activity.
7. To engage in any other conduct that restricts or inhibits anyone’s use or enjoyment of Service, or which, as determined by us, may harm or offend Company or users of Service or expose them to liability.

Additionally, you agree not to:

1. Use Service in any manner that could disable, overburden, damage, or impair Service or interfere with any other party’s use of Service, including their ability to engage in real time activities through Service.
2. Use any robot, spider, or other automatic device, process, or means to access Service for any purpose, including monitoring or copying any of the material on Service.
3. Use any manual process to monitor or copy any of the material on Service or for any other unauthorized purpose without our prior written consent.
4. Use any device, software, or routine that interferes with the proper working of Service.
5. Introduce any viruses, trojan horses, worms, logic bombs, or other material which is malicious or technologically harmful.
6. Attempt to gain unauthorized access to, interfere with, damage, or disrupt any parts of Service, the server on which Service is stored, or any server, computer, or database connected to Service.
7. Attack Service via a denial-of-service attack or a distributed denial-of-service attack.
8. Take any action that may damage or falsify Company rating.
9. Otherwise attempt to interfere with the proper working of Service.

Analytics

We may use third-party Service Providers to monitor and analyze the use of our Service.

No Use By Minors

Service is intended only for access and use by individuals at least eighteen (18) years old. By accessing or using Service, you warrant and represent that you are at least eighteen (18) years of age and with the full authority, right, and capacity to enter into this agreement and abide by all of the terms and conditions of Terms. If you are not at least eighteen (18) years old, you are prohibited from both the access and usage of Service.

Accounts

When you create an account with us, you guarantee that you are above the age of 18, and that the information you provide us is accurate, complete, and current at all times. Inaccurate, incomplete, or obsolete information may result in the immediate termination of your account on Service.

You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account and password, including but not limited to the restriction of access to your computer and/or account. You agree to accept responsibility for any and all activities or actions that occur under your account and/or password, whether your password is with our Service or a third-party service. You must notify us immediately upon becoming aware of any breach of security or unauthorized use of your account.

You may not use as a username the name of another person or entity or that is not lawfully available for use, a name or trademark that is subject to any rights of another person or entity other than you, without appropriate authorization. You may not use as a username any name that is offensive, vulgar or obscene.

We reserve the right to refuse service, terminate accounts, remove or edit content, or cancel orders in our sole discretion.

Intellectual Property

Service and its original content (excluding Content provided by users), features and functionality are and will remain the exclusive property of AKREDITAS LTD and its licensors. Service is protected by copyright, trademark, and other laws of and foreign countries. Our trademarks may not be used in connection with any product or service without the prior written consent of AKREDITAS LTD.

Copyright Policy

We respect the intellectual property rights of others. It is our policy to respond to any claim that Content posted on Service infringes on the copyright or other intellectual property rights (“Infringement”) of any person or entity.

If you are a copyright owner, or authorized on behalf of one, and you believe that the copyrighted work has been copied in a way that constitutes copyright infringement, please submit your claim via email to contact@akreditas.org, with the subject line: “Copyright Infringement” and include in your claim a detailed description of the alleged Infringement as detailed below, under “DMCA Notice and Procedure for Copyright Infringement Claims”

You may be held accountable for damages (including costs and attorneys’ fees) for misrepresentation or bad-faith claims on the infringement of any Content found on and/or through Service on your copyright.

DMCA Notice and Procedure for Copyright Infringement Claims

You may submit a notification pursuant to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) by providing our Copyright Agent with the following information in writing (see 17 U.S.C 512(c)(3) for further detail):

1. An electronic or physical signature of the person authorized to act on behalf of the owner of the copyright’s interest;
2. a description of the copyrighted work that you claim has been infringed, including the URL (i.e., web page address) of the location where the copyrighted work exists or a copy of the copyrighted work;
3. identification of the URL or other specific location on Service where the material that you claim is infringing is located;
4. your address, telephone number, and email address;
5. a statement by you that you have a good faith belief that the disputed use is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law;
6. a statement by you, made under penalty of perjury, that the above information in your notice is accurate and that you are the copyright owner or authorized to act on the copyright owner’s behalf.

You can contact our Copyright Agent via email at contact@akreditas.org.

Error Reporting and Feedback

You may provide us either directly at contact@akreditas.org or via third party sites and tools with information and feedback concerning errors, suggestions for improvements, ideas, problems, complaints, and other matters related to our Service (“Feedback”). You acknowledge and agree that: (i) you shall not retain, acquire or assert any intellectual property right or other right, title or interest in or to the Feedback; (ii) Company may have development ideas similar to the Feedback; (iii) Feedback does not contain confidential information or proprietary information from you or any third party; and (iv) Company is not under any obligation of confidentiality with respect to the Feedback. In the event the transfer of the ownership to the Feedback is not possible due to applicable mandatory laws, you grant Company and its affiliates an exclusive, transferable, irrevocable, free-of-charge, sub-licensable, unlimited and perpetual right to use (including copy, modify, create derivative works, publish, distribute and commercialize) Feedback in any manner and for any purpose.

Links To Other Web Sites

Our Service may contain links to third party web sites or services that are not owned or controlled by AKREDITAS LTD.

AKREDITAS LTD has no control over, and assumes no responsibility for the content, privacy policies, or practices of any third party web sites or services. We do not warrant the offerings of any of these entities/individuals or their websites.

YOU ACKNOWLEDGE AND AGREE THAT COMPANY SHALL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE OR LIABLE, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, FOR ANY DAMAGE OR LOSS CAUSED OR ALLEGED TO BE CAUSED BY OR IN CONNECTION WITH USE OF OR RELIANCE ON ANY SUCH CONTENT, GOODS OR SERVICES AVAILABLE ON OR THROUGH ANY SUCH THIRD PARTY WEB SITES OR SERVICES.

WE STRONGLY ADVISE YOU TO READ THE TERMS OF SERVICE AND PRIVACY POLICIES OF ANY THIRD PARTY WEB SITES OR SERVICES THAT YOU VISIT.

Disclaimer Of Warranty

THESE SERVICES ARE PROVIDED BY COMPANY ON AN “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE” BASIS. COMPANY MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO THE OPERATION OF THEIR SERVICES, OR THE INFORMATION, CONTENT OR MATERIALS INCLUDED THEREIN. YOU EXPRESSLY AGREE THAT YOUR USE OF THESE SERVICES, THEIR CONTENT, AND ANY SERVICES OR ITEMS OBTAINED FROM US IS AT YOUR SOLE RISK.

NEITHER COMPANY NOR ANY PERSON ASSOCIATED WITH COMPANY MAKES ANY WARRANTY OR REPRESENTATION WITH RESPECT TO THE COMPLETENESS, SECURITY, RELIABILITY, QUALITY, ACCURACY, OR AVAILABILITY OF THE SERVICES. WITHOUT LIMITING THE FOREGOING, NEITHER COMPANY NOR ANYONE ASSOCIATED WITH COMPANY REPRESENTS OR WARRANTS THAT THE SERVICES, THEIR CONTENT, OR ANY SERVICES OR ITEMS OBTAINED THROUGH THE SERVICES WILL BE ACCURATE, RELIABLE, ERROR-FREE, OR UNINTERRUPTED, THAT DEFECTS WILL BE CORRECTED, THAT THE SERVICES OR THE SERVER THAT MAKES IT AVAILABLE ARE FREE OF VIRUSES OR OTHER HARMFUL COMPONENTS OR THAT THE SERVICES OR ANY SERVICES OR ITEMS OBTAINED THROUGH THE SERVICES WILL OTHERWISE MEET YOUR NEEDS OR EXPECTATIONS.

COMPANY HEREBY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, STATUTORY, OR OTHERWISE, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, NON-INFRINGEMENT, AND FITNESS FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

THE FOREGOING DOES NOT AFFECT ANY WARRANTIES WHICH CANNOT BE EXCLUDED OR LIMITED UNDER APPLICABLE LAW.

Limitation Of Liability

EXCEPT AS PROHIBITED BY LAW, YOU WILL HOLD US AND OUR OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AND AGENTS HARMLESS FOR ANY INDIRECT, PUNITIVE, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGE, HOWEVER IT ARISES (INCLUDING ATTORNEYS’ FEES AND ALL RELATED COSTS AND EXPENSES OF LITIGATION AND ARBITRATION, OR AT TRIAL OR ON APPEAL, IF ANY, WHETHER OR NOT LITIGATION OR ARBITRATION IS INSTITUTED), WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, NEGLIGENCE, OR OTHER TORTIOUS ACTION, OR ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION ANY CLAIM FOR PERSONAL INJURY OR PROPERTY DAMAGE, ARISING FROM THIS AGREEMENT AND ANY VIOLATION BY YOU OF ANY FEDERAL, STATE, OR LOCAL LAWS, STATUTES, RULES, OR REGULATIONS, EVEN IF COMPANY HAS BEEN PREVIOUSLY ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE. EXCEPT AS PROHIBITED BY LAW, IF THERE IS LIABILITY FOUND ON THE PART OF COMPANY, IT WILL BE LIMITED TO THE AMOUNT PAID FOR THE PRODUCTS AND/OR SERVICES, AND UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES WILL THERE BE CONSEQUENTIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF PUNITIVE, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THE PRIOR LIMITATION OR EXCLUSION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.

Termination

We may terminate or suspend your account and bar access to Service immediately, without prior notice or liability, under our sole discretion, for any reason whatsoever and without limitation, including but not limited to a breach of Terms.

If you wish to terminate your account, you may simply discontinue using Service.

All provisions of Terms which by their nature should survive termination shall survive termination, including, without limitation, ownership provisions, warranty disclaimers, indemnity and limitations of liability.

Governing Law

These Terms shall be governed and construed in accordance with the laws of united kingdom, which governing law applies to agreement without regard to its conflict of law provisions.

Our failure to enforce any right or provision of these Terms will not be considered a waiver of those rights. If any provision of these Terms is held to be invalid or unenforceable by a court, the remaining provisions of these Terms will remain in effect. These Terms constitute the entire agreement between us regarding our Service and supersede and replace any prior agreements we might have had between us regarding Service.

Changes To Service

We reserve the right to withdraw or amend our Service, and any service or material we provide via Service, in our sole discretion without notice. We will not be liable if for any reason all or any part of Service is unavailable at any time or for any period. From time to time, we may restrict access to some parts of Service, or the entire Service, to users, including registered users.

Amendments To Terms

We may amend Terms at any time by posting the amended terms on this site. It is your responsibility to review these Terms periodically.

Your continued use of the Platform following the posting of revised Terms means that you accept and agree to the changes. You are expected to check this page frequently so you are aware of any changes, as they are binding on you.

By continuing to access or use our Service after any revisions become effective, you agree to be bound by the revised terms. If you do not agree to the new terms, you are no longer authorized to use Service.

Waiver And Severability

No waiver by Company of any term or condition set forth in Terms shall be deemed a further or continuing waiver of such term or condition or a waiver of any other term or condition, and any failure of Company to assert a right or provision under Terms shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision.

If any provision of Terms is held by a court or other tribunal of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason, such provision shall be eliminated or limited to the minimum extent such that the remaining provisions of Terms will continue in full force and effect.

Acknowledgement

BY USING SERVICE OR OTHER SERVICES PROVIDED BY US, YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU HAVE READ THESE TERMS OF SERVICE AND AGREE TO BE BOUND BY THEM.

Contact Us

Please send your feedback, comments, requests for technical support by email: contact@akreditas.org

EFFECTIVE DATE: 2023-12-28

Introduction

The main aim of the policy is to provide clear guidance on how AKREDITAS LTD (“Company”, “we”, “our”, “us”) markets itself responsibly. We are committed to delivering high quality teaching and learning, along with exceptional customer service for our stakeholders. This extends to ensuring our services are marketed in a way that is fair, transparent, within legal guidelines and reflective of the communities we serve.

We also require that our partners and stakeholders adhere to these standards and that unsubstantiated claims aren’t made. Any use of data must be verified, and sources confirmed to ensure potential customers are made aware of its origin.

We are committed to marketing our products and services in a responsible way and so we will regularly review our marketing communications to ensure they are aligned with these principles and that they also fit with industry best practices.

Scope

These guidelines apply to all marketing communications generated by or on behalf of AKREDITAS LTD (“Company”, “we”, “our”, “us”). Within this, ‘marketing’ means product and services advertising and promotion in all media including, but not limited to, packaging, brand promotions, brand advertising, brand PR, product placement, sponsorship and brand experiential marketing, point of sale material, digital, online and mobile marketing plus social media.

Core Principles

We commit that our marketing communications will be honest, transparent, truthful, within legal guidelines and respectful.

Above this we also commit to:

• Never mislead our customers.
• Always be fair and transparent when promoting our services, enabling our customers to make informed choices. Offering impartial advice and guidance in line with our duty of care as a CPD Approved Provider.
• Be legal, ethical, truthful and conform to accepted principles of fair competition and good business practice.
• Comply with all UK legislative and regulatory requirements.
• Avoid promoting themes associated with aggression, anti-social behaviour or violence.
• Avoid any derogatory, defamatory or offensive statements or imagery in particular in relation to race, gender, sexual orientation, religion and political views.
• Seek to prevent any unsolicited marketing that uses theAKREDITAS LTD (“Company”, “we”, “our”, “us”) brand without authorisation
• Never knowingly advertise in media or on websites that contain extremist views or explicit content.
• Never advertise in a way that could cause mental, physical or moral harm to a child.

Compliance

All new marketing colleagues and key agency personnel are aware of our Core Principles, and we review the principles on a regular basis. In addition, refresher training is available when needed.

Our marketing team/3rd party agency members, supported by our legal, technical and communications operatives, are responsible for ensuring the compliance of all of our marketing collateral.

Other, non-marketing collateral which has a customer audience (for example recruitment material or AKREDITAS LTD (“Company”, “we”, “our”, “us”) Newsletter communications) should also comply with these principles. Internally, all imagery is to be approved in isolation, in colour, at full/oversize and in situ/as it will be seen by the customer.

AKREDITAS LTD  treats all cases of suspected malpractice* very seriously and will investigate all suspected and reported incidents of possible malpractice. 

The purpose of this Policy and Procedure is to set out how allegations of malpractice in relation to all AKREDITAS LTD  training assessments and training events are dealt with. 

The scope of the policy is to provide:

• a definition of malpractice
• examples of learner and centre malpractice and maladministration;
• possible sanctions that may be imposed in cases of malpractice.

*The term ‘malpractice’ in this policy is used for both malpractice and maladministration.

Introduction

For the purpose of this document ‘malpractice’ is defined as:

Any act, or failure to act, that threatens or compromises the integrity of the assessment processor and the validity of AKREDITAS LTD training events and their certification. 

This includes: 

• maladministration and the failure to maintain appropriate records or systems; 
• the deliberate falsification of records or documents for any reason connected to the award of training events certification; 
• acts of plagiarism or other academic misconduct; 
• and/or actions that compromise the reputation or authority of its employees or associates. AKREDITAS LTD  will report all relevant cases of suspected malpractice to the relevant authority, accepting that in certain circumstances they may take action of its own, including imposing sanctions.

Malpractice by learners

Some examples of learner malpractice are described below. These examples are not exhaustive and all incidents of suspected malpractice, whether or not described below, will be fully investigated, where there are sufficient grounds to do so.

• Obtaining examination or assessment material without authorisation.
• Arranging for an individual other than the learner to sit an assessment or to submit an assignment not undertaken by the learner.
• Impersonating another learner to sit an assessment or to submit an assignment on their behalf.
• Collaborating with another learner or individual, by any means, to complete a coursework assignment or assessment, unless it has been clearly stated that such collaboration is permitted.
• Damaging another learner’s work.
• Inclusion of inappropriate or offensive material in coursework assignments or assessment scripts.
• Failure to comply with published examination regulations.
• Disruptive behaviour or unacceptable conduct, including the use of offensive language, at training centre or assessment venue (including aggressive or offensive language or behaviour).
• Producing, using or allowing the use of forged or falsified documentation, including but not limited to:
  • personal identification;
  • supporting evidence provided for reasonable adjustment or special consideration applications; and
  • competency documents
  • results documentation, including certificates.
• Misrepresentation or plagiarism of a AKREDITAS LTD certificate.
• Fraudulent claims for special consideration while studying.
• Falsely obtaining by any means a certificate

Malpractice by AKREDITAS LTD employees and associates

Examples of malpractice by, employees, tutors and assessors are listed below. These examples are not exhaustive and all incidents of suspected malpractice, whether or not described below, will be fully investigated, where there are sufficient grounds to do so.

• Failure to adhere to the relevant regulations and procedures, including those relating to AKREDITAS LTD approval, security undertaking and monitoring requirements as set out by these regulations.
• Knowingly allowing an individual to impersonate a learner.
• Allowing a learner to copy another learner’s assignment work or allowing a learner to let their own work be copied.
• Allowing learners to work collaboratively during an assignment assessment, unless specified in the assignment brief.
• Completing an assessed assignment for a learner or providing them with assistance beyond that ‘normally’ expected.
• Damaging a learner’s work.
• Disruptive behaviour or unacceptable conduct, including the use of offensive language (including aggressive or offensive language or behaviour).
• Allowing disruptive behaviour or unacceptable conduct at AKREDITAS LTD to go unchallenged, for example, aggressive or offensive language or behaviour.
• Divulging any information relating to learner performance and / or results to anyone other than the learner.
• Producing, using or allowing the use of forged or falsified documentation, including but not limited to:
  • personal identification;
  • supporting evidence provided for reasonable adjustment or special consideration applications; and
  • competency documents
  • results documentation, including certificates
• Falsely obtaining by any means a certificate.
• Failing to report a suspected case of learner malpractice, including plagiarism, to your Line Manager.

Possible malpractice sanctions

Following an investigation, if a case of malpractice is upheld, AKREDITAS LTD  may impose sanctions or other penalties on the individual(s) concerned. Where relevant we will report the matter and may impose one or more sanctions upon the individual(s) concerned. Any sanctions imposed will reflect the seriousness of the malpractice that has occurred.

Listed below are examples of sanctions that may be applied to a learner, tutor or other associates who has had a case of malpractice upheld against them. Please note that this list is not exhaustive and other sanctions may be applied on a case-by-case basis.

Possible sanctions that may be applied to learners

• A written warning about future conduct.
• Notification to an employer, regulator or the police.
• Removal from the course.

Possible sanctions that may be applied to employees, tutors and other associates

• A written warning about future conduct.
• Imposition of special conditions for the future involvement of the individual(s) in the conduct, teaching, supervision or administration of learners and/or examinations.
• Informing any other organisation known to employ the individual in relation to courses or examinations of the outcome of the case. AKREDITAS LTD (“Company”, “we”, “our”, “us”) may carry out unannounced monitoring of the working practices of the individual(s) concerned.
• Dismissal.

Procedure

Reporting a suspected case of malpractice

This process applies to, employees, tutors, learners and other associates to AKREDITAS LTD

and to any reporting of malpractice by a third party or individual who wishes to remain anonymous.

Any case of suspected malpractice must be reported as soon as possible and at the latest within two working days from its discovery to the Training & Development Manager (Quality Nominee).

A written report should then be sent to the Training & Development Manager, clearly identifying the factual information, including statements from other individuals involved and / or affected, any evidence obtained, and the actions that have been taken in relation to the incident.

Wherever possible, and provided other learners are not disrupted by doing so, a learner suspected of malpractice should be warned immediately that their actions may

constitute malpractice, and that a report will be made to the Training & Development Manager.

In cases of suspected malpractice by AKREDITAS LTD  employees, tutors and other

associates, and any reporting of malpractice by a third party or individual who wishes to remain anonymous, the report made to the Training & Development Manager should include as much information as possible, including the following:

• the date time and place the alleged malpractice took place, if known.
• the name of the employee, tutor or other third party involved
• a description of the suspected malpractice; and
• any available supporting evidence.

In cases of suspected malpractice reported by a third party, or an individual who wishes to

remain anonymous, AKREDITAS LTD  will take all reasonable steps to authenticate the

reported information and to investigate the alleged malpractice.

Administering suspected cases of malpractice

AKREDITAS LTD  will investigate each case of suspected or reported malpractice, to ascertain whether malpractice has occurred. The investigation will aim to establish the full facts and circumstances. AKREDITAS LTD  will promptly take all reasonable steps to prevent any adverse effect that may arise as a result of the malpractice, or to mitigate any adverse effect, as far as possible, and to correct it to make sure that any action necessary to maintain the integrity of our training and reputation is taken. AKREDITAS LTD will acknowledge all reports of suspected malpractice within five working days. All of the parties involved in the case will then be contacted within 10 working days of receipt of the report detailing the suspected malpractice. We may also contact other individuals who may be able to provide evidence relevant to the case.

The individual(s) concerned will be informed of the following:

• that an investigation is going to take place, and the grounds for that investigation;
• details of all the relevant timescales, and dates, where known;
• that they have a right to respond by providing a personal written response relating to the suspected malpractice (within 15 working days of the date of that letter);
• that, if malpractice is considered proven, sanctions may be imposed by reflecting the seriousness of the case;
• that, if they are found guilty, they have the right to appeal.
• that AKREDITAS LTD has a duty to inform the relevant authorities / regulators, but only

after time for the appeal has passed or the appeal process has been completed. This may also include informing the police if the law has been broken and to comply with any other appropriate legislation.

Where more than one individual is contacted regarding a case of suspected malpractice, for example in a case involving suspected collusion, we will contact each individual separately, and will not reveal personal data to any third party unless necessary for the purpose of the investigation.

The individual has a right to appeal against a malpractice outcome if they believe that the policy or procedure has not been followed properly or has been implemented to their detriment.

Records of all malpractice cases and their outcomes are maintained by AKREDITAS LTD  for a period of at least five years and are subject to regular monitoring and review.

EFFECTIVE DATE: 2023-12-28

Introduction

All staff working with children and vulnerable adults have a legal duty to work together

to protect them from harm or abuse. AKREDITAS LTD Safeguarding lead has overall responsibility for the safeguarding of learners, and is responsible for ensuring the effectiveness of all work done to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people on programme. AKREDITAS LTD Policy covers: 

• The recruitment and employment of staff working with vulnerable adults and the provision of a safe learning environment under the requirements of this act 
• Training & Development Manager & HR department are responsible for ensuring that AKREDITAS LTD follows safer recruitment procedures. This includes carrying out Disclosure and Baring checks on all staff working with vulnerable learners every three years. This also applies where staffs have already been checked by a previous employer.

Statement of Intent:

AKREDITAS LTD’s first priority is to ensure the safety and protection of all learners

taking part in learning. In order to protect young people and vulnerable adults from harm we

will act in accordance with the following legislation and guidance: ‘No Secrets’ DH 2000

Scope

This policy statement applies to all learning provided by AKREDITAS LTD, and includes:

• All learning provision for adults delivered directly by employed staff 
• All learning provision for adults commissioned through partnership arrangements

Definitions

Safeguarding The term “safeguarding” describes the broader preventative and precautionary approach to planning and procedures that are necessary to protect children, young people and vulnerable adults from any potential harm or damage.

Safeguarding means:

• Protection from abuse and neglect 
• Promotion of health and development
• Ensuring safety and care relating to the environment and activity
• Ensuring optimum life chances

‘Child’ or ‘Young Adult’ An individual is considered to be a child or young person up to their 18th birthday

‘Vulnerable Adult’ A Vulnerable adult is any person aged 18 or over ‘who is, or may be in need of, community care services by reason of mental or other disability, age or illness and who is, or may be, unable to take care of him or herself or protect him or herself against significant harm or exploitation’ (‘No Secrets’ DH 2000).

The list below is not exhaustive but a vulnerable adult may be someone

• who: is elderly and frail
• has a mental disorder
• has a physical or sensory disability has a severe physical illness
• is a substance misuser is homeless
• has a learning disability

‘Abuse’ is

“a violation of an individual’s human and civil rights by any other person or persons” (‘No Secrets’ DH 2000). Abuse may consist of a single act or repeated acts, abuse may happen intentionally or unintentionally and can take place in any relationship or setting. Examples of abuse that could occur in a learning environment include:

Physical abuse – shoving, hitting, slapping

Sexual abuse – involvement in any direct or indirect (e.g. innuendo, pornography) activity against the learner’s will or knowledge

Emotional/psychological abuse e.g. intimidation, bullying or humiliation Discriminatory abuse e.g. racial, sexual or religious harassment Financial or material exploitation e.g. coercing money or goods

Institutional abuse e.g. failure to ensure privacy, dignity or uphold individual human and civil rights.

Neglect or acts of omission e.g. ignoring physical or medical needs, failure to access appropriate health, social care or educational services, withholding medication.

An abuser: may be anyone including relatives, friends, professional staff, other learners and service-users, neighbours, care workers, volunteers, and strangers.

Policy Statement

AKREDITAS LTD is committed to promoting safeguarding through the provision  of an

inclusive, supportive and safe environment for its learners, staff and others closely associated with its work and affirms the rights of individuals to be treated fairly and with respect.

 AKREDITAS LTD intends to pursue this commitment by

• Promoting a culture of value and respect for all within a supportive and safe learning environment

• Ensure that all internal tutoring staff, and learning and personal support staff in contact with learners have a current Disclosure and Barring check for working with adults and/or children
• Provide accessible information for learners, tutoring staff and subcontracting providers on equality, diversity, bullying, harassment, dignity and respect in the learning environment
• We will provide opportunities for adults and young people to voice any concerns they may have regarding inappropriate behaviour, abuse, harassment or misconduct and providing strong sanctions to deter victimisation or cover up of malpractice
• Supply information to learners on AKREDITAS LTD procedures for following

up complaints relating to the conduct of tutoring staff and/or other learners

• Require all tutoring staff and others associated with the delivery of our provision to carry and produce appropriate identification on request
• Ensure that premises used to deliver learning activities are risk assessed by appropriately trained staff
• Ensure that learning activities are risk assessed by appropriately trained staff 
• Ensure that care and safety issues and concerns are reported 

• Providing Information, training and briefings on safeguarding vulnerable adults and children that includes:

• Include information on Safeguarding as part of learner induction
• Provide information to tutoring staff and learners about the standards we expect with regard to confidentiality and disclosure
• Provide appropriate training for tutoring staff on safeguarding, disclosure and diversity matters
• Distribute information to all internal on the signs of abuse and the action to take if/when abuse is reported.
• Provide accessible information for learners, and tutoring staff on the complaint’s procedure
• Provide headline information for learners on safeguarding, e-safety, bullying and harassment equality of opportunity and diversity.
• Provide learners with the name of the designated safeguarding contact and the procedure to be followed in the case of any alleged case of bullying or harassment

• Gathering and analysing information from learners on matters related to feeling safe in the learning environment

• Generate questions on the feedback form to elicit how safe learners feel in the learning environment
• Analyse the information obtained and acting on the results

Monitoring the effectiveness of this Safeguarding Policy and reviewing it annually

• Monitor the safeguarding practices within provision
• Identify and sharing good practice in safeguarding with subcontracted providers
• Review the AKREDITAS LTD safeguarding policy on an annual basis
• Link with learning networks and the local authority safeguarding unit to ensure that information on safeguarding is current and up to date

All enquiries relating to safeguarding issues should be addressed in the first instance to the

designated safeguarding officer for AKREDITAS LTD Assessment Centre.

support@akreditas.org

Reporting an incident

After direct or indirect disclosure or signs of abuse are spotted, please inform, in the first instance the Training & Development Manager, with the following information:

• What your concerns are.
• Where, when, who from and how you got the concerns. 
• What you have done.
• Whether the parents/carers and learner are aware of this referral? 
• Any additional info about the learner. (Use the registration form) Contact information for anyone involved

Write a report within 48 hours. Include all details of the disclosure including who was present and the reasons for your decision to make a referral. Ensure this is stored in a secure file. If there is immediate danger call 999

Send all report to

Safeguarding Officer;support@akreditas.org

“Everyone has a part to play in ensuring we achieve equality of opportunity. We believe

that a positive attitude towards equality and diversity is right for our people, our clients and our business suppliers. This means that we must encourage all our people to welcome diversity and respect each person’s individuality”.

is committed to ensuring that the admissions process will be open and transparent, and that no individual or group receives less favourable treatment by virtue of age, disability, economic status, faith, gender, marital status, sexuality, race, colour, and nationality, ethnic or national origin.

The following Learner Charter has been drawn up stating the standards of service you can expect to receive as a learner of AKREDITAS LTD

Using the AKREDITAS LTD you can expect…

• to receive a highly quality learning experience
• to be given equal opportunities and treated fairly
• to be treated with courtesy
• to have access to advice, guidance and support to ensure your choices are informed ones and that your learning needs are met
• to learn in a healthy and safe environment
• to be provided with timely and appropriate information on your progress
• to have staff listen to any issues, suggestions or concerns you may have, and to respond in a relevant manner

In turn as a customer of AKREDITAS LTD we would like you to:

• be fully committed to your course
• treat our staff with courtesy
• provide us with appropriate information to help us meet your learning and assessment needs
• ensure that your behaviour contributes to a healthy and safe environment
• abide by any rules specifically relating to online assessment
• communicate issues, suggestions or concerns using the procedures outlined in your Student Handbook.

If for any reason you wish to make a formal complaint, then please access our formal complaints procedure on the website or email support@akreditas.org

AKREDITAS LTD takes the standard of its courses very seriously. For this reason, the below policy sets out how we ensure the standards of our service is maintained.

Course reviews are an integral part of AKREDITAS LTD’s quality assurance process.

The focus of course reviews is on:

• The appropriateness of the content and assessment method in order to achieve the learning outcomes,
• The course content being up to date and accurate. 

Responsibility

Responsibility for course review and recommendations being addressed rests with the Training & Development Manager. The responsibility for the Review process lies with the company Directors.

Frequency

Each course is reviewed on an annual basis. The courses are reviewed by a Subject Matter Specialist to ensure their accuracy.

All legal elements of the learning materials will be reviewed by the companies Legal Representatives to ensure the most up to date version of any legal references are used and are correct as of the time of the review. 

Timing

At the review date, each subject area specialist will have a 30-day period to complete the review of the given subject and all findings reported back to the Training & Development Manager. 

The Training & Development Manager will then action any appropriate changes to course materials with an additional 30-day period. 

Any legal advice/review related to legal references within the learning materials will be form part of the 30-day review period by the Subject Matter Specialist.  

Reporting 

Following learning materials & legal review, a detailed report will be provided to the Training & Development Manager, outlining all elements that require addressing and updating.

Introduction

This Policy sets out the obligations of AKREDITAS LTD ,(“the Company”) regarding data protection and the rights of customers and business contacts (“data subjects”) in respect of their personal data under Data Protection Act 2018 (Formally EU Regulation 2016/679 General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”)). 

The Data Protection Act 2018 defines “personal data” as any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person (a “data subject”); an identifiable natural person is one who can be identified, directly or indirectly, in particular by reference to an identifier such as a name, an identification number, location data, an online identifier, or to one or more factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural, or social identity of that natural person.

This Policy sets the Company’s obligations regarding the collection, processing, transfer, storage, and disposal of personal data. The procedures and principles set out herein must be followed at all times by the Company, its employees, agents, contractors, or other parties working on behalf of the Company.

The Company is committed not only to the letter of the law, but also to the spirit of the law and places high importance on the correct, lawful, and fair handling of all personal data, respecting the legal rights, privacy, and trust of all individuals with whom it deals.

The Data Protection Principles

This Policy aims to ensure compliance with the Data Protection Act 2018. The Data Protection Act 2018 sets out the following principles with which any party handling personal data must comply. All personal data must be:

• Processed lawfully, fairly, and in a transparent manner in relation to the data subject.
• Collected for specified, explicit, and legitimate purposes and not further processed in a manner that is incompatible with those purposes. Further processing for archiving purposes in the public interest, scientific or historical research purposes or statistical purposes shall not be considered to be incompatible with the initial purposes.
• Adequate, relevant, and limited to what is necessary in relation to the purposes for which it is processed.
• Accurate and, where necessary, kept up to date. Every reasonable step must be taken to ensure that personal data that is inaccurate, having regard to the purposes for which it is processed, is erased, or rectified without delay.
• Kept in a form which permits identification of data subjects for no longer than is necessary for the purposes for which the personal data is processed. Personal data may be stored for longer periods insofar as the personal data will be processed solely for archiving purposes in the public interest, scientific or historical research purposes, or statistical purposes, subject to implementation of the appropriate technical and organisational measures required by the Data Protection Act 2018 in order to safeguard the rights and freedoms of the data subject.
• Processed in a manner that ensures appropriate security of the personal data, including protection against unauthorised or unlawful processing and against accidental loss, destruction, or damage, using appropriate technical or organisational measures.

The Rights of Data Subjects

• The Data Protection Act 2018 sets out the following rights applicable to data subjects
• The right to be informed’
• The right of access,
• The right to rectification,
• The right to erasure (also known as the ‘right to be forgotten’),
• The right to restrict processing,
• The right to data portability,
• The right to object; and
• Rights with respect to automated decision-making and profiling.

Lawful, Fair, and Transparent Data Processing

The Data Protection Act 2018 seeks to ensure that personal data is processed lawfully, fairly, and transparently, without adversely affecting the rights of the data subject. The Data Protection Act 2018 states that processing of personal data shall be lawful if at least one of the following applies:

• The data subject has given consent to the processing of their personal data for one or more specific purposes;
• The processing is necessary for the performance of a contract to which the data subject is a party, or in order to take steps at the request of the data subject prior to entering into a contract with them;
• The processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation to which the data controller is subject;
• The processing is necessary to protect the vital interests of the data subject or of another natural person;
• The processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the data controller; or
• The processing is necessary for the purposes of the legitimate interests pursued by the data controller or by a third party, except where such interests are overridden by the fundamental rights and freedoms of the data subject which require protection of personal data, in particular where the data subject is a child.
• If the personal data in question is “special category data” (also known as “sensitive personal data”) (for example, data concerning the data subject’s health), at least one of the following conditions must be met:
• The data subject has given their explicit consent to the processing of such data for one or more specified purposes (unless EU or EU Member State law prohibits them from doing so);
• The processing is necessary to protect the vital interests of the data subject or of another natural person where the data subject is physically or legally incapable of giving consent;
• The processing relates to personal data which is clearly made public by the data subject;
• The processing is necessary for the conduct of legal claims or whenever courts are acting in their judicial capacity;

Specified, Explicit, and Legitimate Purposes

The Company collects and processes the personal data set out in this Policy.

This includes:

• Personal data collected directly from data subjects OR
• Personal data obtained from third parties.
• The Company only collects, processes, and holds personal data for the specific purposes set out in this Policy (or for other purposes expressly permitted by the Data Protection Act 2018).
• Data subjects are kept informed at all times of the purpose or purposes for which the Company uses their personal data.

Adequate, Relevant, and Limited Data Processing

The Company will only collect and process personal data for and to the extent necessary for the specific purpose or purposes of which data subjects have been informed (or will be informed).

Accuracy of Data and Keeping Data Up-to-Date

• The Company shall ensure that all personal data collected, processed, and held by it is kept accurate and up-to-date. This includes, but is not limited to, the rectification of personal data at the request of a data subject.
• The accuracy of personal data shall be checked when it is collected and at regular intervals thereafter. If any personal data is found to be inaccurate or out-of-date, all reasonable steps will be taken without delay to amend or erase that data, as appropriate.

Data Retention

• The Company shall not keep personal data for any longer than is necessary in light of the purpose or purposes for which that personal data was originally collected, held, and processed.
• When personal data is no longer required, all reasonable steps will be taken to erase or otherwise dispose of it without delay.
• For full details of the Company’s approach to data retention, including retention periods for specific personal data types held by the Company, please refer to our Data Retention Policy.

Secure Processing

The Company shall ensure that all personal data collected, held, and processed is kept secure and protected against unauthorised or unlawful processing and against accidental loss, destruction, or damage. Further details of the technical and organisational measures which shall be taken are provided later in this Policy.

Accountability and Record-Keeping

The Company’s Data Protection Officer is Serhir Elfassi Mohammed Reda

E-Mail : contact@akreditas.org

Tel :  020 3951 1585

The Data Protection Officer shall be responsible for overseeing the implementation of this Policy and for monitoring compliance with this Policy, the Company’s other data protection-related policies, and with the Data Protection Act 2018 and other applicable data protection legislation.

• The Company shall keep written internal records of all personal data collection, holding, and processing, which shall incorporate the following information:
• The name and details of the Company, its Data Protection Officer, and any applicable third-party data processors;
• The purposes for which the Company collects, holds, and processes personal data;
• Details of the categories of personal data collected, held, and processed by the Company, and the categories of data subject to which that personal data relates;
• Details of any transfers of personal data to non-EEA countries including all mechanisms and security safeguards;
• Details of how long personal data will be retained by the Company; and
• Detailed descriptions of all technical and organisational measures taken by the Company to ensure the security of personal data

Data Protection Impact Assessments

• The Company shall carry out Data Protection Impact Assessments for any and all new projects and/or new uses of personal data.
• Data Protection Impact Assessments shall be overseen by the Data Protection Officer and shall address the following:

1. The type(s) of personal data that will be collected, held, and processed;
2. The purpose(s) for which personal data is to be used;
3. The Company’s objectives;
4. How personal data is to be used;
5. The parties (internal and/or external) who are to be consulted;
6. The necessity and proportionality of the data processing with respect to the
7. purpose(s) for which it is being processed;
8. Risks posed to data subjects;
9. Risks posed both within and to the Company; and
10. Proposed measures to minimize and handle identified risks.

Keeping Data Subjects Informed

The Company shall provide the information set out in section (i) below to every data subject:

Where personal data is collected directly from data subjects, those data subjects will be informed of its purpose at the time of collection; and where personal data is obtained from a third party, the relevant data subjects will be informed of its purpose:

1. a) if the personal data is used to communicate with the data subject, when the first communication is made; or
2. b) if the personal data is to be transferred to another party, before that transfer is made; or

1. c) as soon as reasonably possible and in any event not more than one month after the personal data is obtained.
2. The following information shall be provided:

• Details of the Company including, but not limited to, the identity of its Data Protection Officer;
• The purpose(s) for which the personal data is being collected and will be processed (as detailed in this Policy) and the legal basis justifying that collection and processing;

• Where applicable, the legitimate interests upon which the Company is justifying its collection and processing of the personal data;
• Where the personal data is not obtained directly from the data subject, the categories of personal data collected and processed;
• Where the personal data is to be transferred to one or more third parties, details of those parties;
• Where the personal data is to be transferred to a third party that is located outside of the European Economic Area (the “EEA”), details of that transfer, including but not limited to the safeguards in place,
• Details of data retention;
• Details of the data subject’s rights under the Data Protection Act 2018;
• Details of the data subject’s right to withdraw their consent to the Company’s processing of their personal data at any time;
• Details of the data subject’s right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (the “supervisory authority” under the Data Protection Act 2018);
• Where applicable, details of any legal or contractual requirement or obligation necessitating the collection and processing of the personal data and details of any consequences of failing to provide it; and
• Details of any automated decision-making or profiling that will take place using the personal data, including information on how decisions will be made, the significance of those decisions, and any consequences.

Data Subject Access

• Data subjects may make subject access requests (“SARs”) at any time to find out more about the personal data which the Company holds about them, what it is doing with that personal data, and why.
• Data subjects wishing to make a SAR may do so in writing, using the Company’s Subject Access Request Form, or other written communication. SARs should be addressed to the Company’s Data Protection Officer at AKREDITAS LTD , Adresse : 20 Wenlock Road London N1 7GU United Kingdom Tel:  020 3951 1585

Email :  contact@akreditas.org

Responses to SARs shall normally be made within one month of receipt, however this may be extended by up to two months if the SAR is complex and/or numerous requests are made. If such additional time is required, the data subject shall be informed.

• All SARs received shall be handled by the Company’s Data Protection Officer.
• The Company does not charge a fee for the handling of normal SARs. The Company reserves the right to charge reasonable fees for additional copies of information that has already been supplied to a data subject, and for requests that are manifestly unfounded or excessive, particularly where such requests are repetitive.

Rectification of Personal Data

• Data subjects have the right to require the Company to rectify any of their personal data that is inaccurate or incomplete.
• The Company shall rectify the personal data in question, and inform the data subject of that rectification, within one month of the data subject informing the Company of the issue. The period can be extended by up to two months in the case of complex requests. If such additional time is required, the data subject shall be informed.
• In the event that any affected personal data has been disclosed to third parties, those parties shall be informed of any rectification that must be made to that personal data.

Erasure of Personal Data

Data subjects have the right to request that the Company erases the personal data it holds about them in the following circumstances:

1. a) It is no longer necessary for the Company to hold that personal data with respect to the purpose(s) for which it was originally collected or processed;
2. b) The data subject wishes to withdraw their consent to the Company holding and processing their personal data;
3. c) The data subject objects to the Company holding and processing their personal data (and there is no overriding legitimate interest to allow the Company to continue doing so),
4. d) The personal data has been processed unlawfully;
5. e) The personal data needs to be erased in order for the Company to comply with a particular legal obligation.

Unless the Company has reasonable grounds to refuse to erase personal data, all requests for erasure shall be complied with, and the data subject informed of the erasure, within one month of receipt of the data subject’s request. The period can be extended by up to two months in the case of complex requests. If such additional time is required, the data subject shall be informed.

In the event that any personal data that is to be erased in response to a data subject’s request has been disclosed to third parties, those parties shall be informed of the erasure (unless it is impossible or would require disproportionate effort to do so).

Restriction of Personal Data Processing

Data subjects may request that the Company ceases processing the personal data it holds about them. If a data subject makes such a request, the Company shall retain only the amount of personal data concerning that data subject (if any) that is necessary to ensure that the personal data in question is not processed further.

In the event that any affected personal data has been disclosed to third parties, those parties shall be informed of the applicable restrictions on processing it (unless it is impossible or would require disproportionate effort to do so).

Objections to Personal Data Processing

Data subjects have the right to object to the Company processing their personal data based on legitimate interests, direct marketing (including profiling) and processing for scientific and/or historical research and statistics purposes.

Where a data subject objects to the Company processing their personal data based on its legitimate interests, the Company shall cease such processing immediately, unless it can be demonstrated that the Company’s legitimate grounds for such processing override the data subject’s interests, rights, and freedoms, or that the processing is necessary for the conduct of legal claims.

Where a data subject objects to the Company processing their personal data for direct marketing purposes, the Company shall cease such processing immediately.

Where a data subject objects to the Company processing their personal data for scientific and/or historical research and statistics purposes, the data subject must, under the Data Protection Act 2018, “demonstrate grounds relating to his or her particular situation”. The Company is not required to comply if the research is necessary for the performance of a task carried out for reasons of public interest.

Personal Data Collected, Held, and Processed

The following personal data is collected, held, and processed by the Company:

Data Ref. Type of Data Purpose of Data Electronic and hard copy Learner records

[Please check relevance for your company]

Data Security – Transferring Personal Data and Communications

The Company shall ensure that the following measures are taken with respect to allcommunications and other transfers involving personal data:

• All emails containing personal data must be encrypted using Encryption software;
• All emails containing personal data must be marked “confidential”;
• Personal data may be transmitted over secure networks only; transmission over unsecured networks is not permitted in any circumstances;
• Personal data may not be transmitted over a wireless network if there is a wired alternative that is reasonably practicable;
• Personal data contained in the body of an email, whether sent or received, should be copied from the body of that email and stored securely. The email itself should be deleted. All temporary files associated therewith should also be deleted using deletion software;
• Where personal data is to be sent by facsimile transmission the recipient should be informed in advance of the transmission and should be waiting by the fax machine to receive the data;
• Where personal data is to be transferred in hardcopy form it should be passed directly to the recipient or sent using Royal Mail Registered or 1st or 2nd Class Signed For post; and
• All personal data to be transferred physically, whether in hardcopy form or on removable electronic media shall be transferred in a suitable container marked “confidential”.

Data Security – Storage

The Company shall ensure that the following measures are taken with respect to the storage of personal data:

• All electronic copies of personal data should be stored securely using passwords and data encryption;
• All hardcopies of personal data, along with any electronic copies stored on physical, removable media should be stored securely in a locked box, drawer, cabinet, or similar;
• All personal data stored electronically should be backed up at least daily with backups stored onsite. All backups should be encrypted using data encryption’
• No personal data should be stored on any mobile device (including, but not limited to, laptops, tablets, and smartphones), whether such device belongs to the Company or otherwise without the formal written approval of the Data Protection Officer and, in the event of such approval, strictly in accordance with all instructions and limitations described at the time the approval is given, and for no longer than is absolutely necessary; and
• No personal data should be transferred to any device personally belonging to an employee and personal data may only be transferred to devices belonging to agents, contractors, or other parties working on behalf of the Company where the party in question has agreed to comply fully with the letter and spirit of this Policy and of the Data Protection Act 2018 (which may include demonstrating to the Company that all suitable technical and organisational measures have been taken).

Data Security – Disposal

When any personal data is to be erased or otherwise disposed of for any reason (including where copies have been made and are no longer needed), it should be securely deleted and disposed of.

Data Security – Use of Personal Data

The Company shall ensure that the following measures are taken with respect to the use of personal data:

• No personal data may be shared informally and if an employee, agent, sub-contractor, or other party working on behalf of the Company requires access to any personal data that they do not already have access to, such access should be formally requested from The Data Protection Officer,
• No personal data may be transferred to any employees, agents, contractors, or other parties, whether such parties are working on behalf of the Company or not, without the authorisation of The Data Protection Officer,
• Personal data must be handled with care at all times and should not be left unattended or on view to unauthorised employees, agents, sub-contractors, or other parties at any time;
• If personal data is being viewed on a computer screen and the computer in question is to be left unattended for any period of time, the user must lock the computer and screen before leaving it; and
• Where personal data held by the Company is used for marketing purposes, it shall be the responsibility of Serhir Elfassi Mohammed Reda to ensure that the appropriate consent is obtained and that no data subjects have opted out, whether directly or via a third-party service such as the TPS.

Data Security – IT Security

The Company shall ensure that the following measures are taken with respect to IT and information security:

• All passwords used to protect personal data should be changed regularly and should not use words or phrases that can be easily guessed or otherwise compromised. All passwords must contain a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols;
• Under no circumstances should any passwords be written down or shared between any employees, agents, contractors, or other parties working on behalf of the Company, irrespective of seniority or department. If a password is forgotten, it must be reset using the applicable method. IT staff do not have access to passwords;
• All software (including, but not limited to, applications and operating systems) shall be kept up-to-date. The Company’s IT staff shall be responsible for installing any and all security-related updates after the updates are made available by the publisher or manufacturer, unless there are valid technical reasons not to do so; and 
• No software may be installed on any Company-owned computer or device without the prior approval of the Company.

Organisational Measures

The Company shall ensure that the following measures are taken with respect to the collection, holding, and processing of personal data:

• All employees, agents, contractors, or other parties working on behalf of the Company shall be made fully aware of both their individual responsibilities and the Company’s responsibilities under the Data Protection Act 2018 and under this Policy, and shall be provided with a copy of this Policy;
• Only employees, agents, sub-contractors, or other parties working on behalf of the Company that need access to, and use of, personal data in order to carry out their assigned duties correctly shall have access to personal data held by the Company;
• All employees, agents, contractors, or other parties working on behalf of the Company handling personal data will be appropriately trained to do so;
• All employees, agents, contractors, or other parties working on behalf of the Company handling personal data will be appropriately supervised;
• All employees, agents, contractors, or other parties working on behalf of the Company handling personal data shall be required and encouraged to exercise care, caution, and discretion when discussing work-related matters that relate to personal data, whether in the workplace or otherwise;
• Methods of collecting, holding, and processing personal data shall be regularly evaluated and reviewed;
• All personal data held by the Company shall be reviewed periodically, as set out in the Company’s Data Retention Policy;
• The performance of those employees, agents, contractors, or other parties working on behalf of the Company handling personal data shall be regularly evaluated and reviewed;
• All employees, agents, contractors, or other parties working on behalf of the Company handling personal data will be bound to do so in accordance with the principles of the Data Protection Act 2018 and this Policy by contract;
• All agents, contractors, or other parties working on behalf of the Company handling personal data must ensure that any and all of their employees who are involved in the processing of personal data are held to the same conditions as those relevant employees of the Company arising out of this Policy and the Data Protection Act 2018; and
• Where any agent, contractor or other party working on behalf of the Company handling personal data fails in their obligations under this Policy that party shall indemnify and hold harmless the Company against any costs, liability, damages, loss, claims or proceedings which may arise out of that failure.

Transferring Personal Data to a Country Outside the EEA

The Company may from time to time transfer (‘transfer’ includes making available remotely) personal data to countries outside of the EEA.

The transfer of personal data to a country outside of the EEA shall take place only if one or more of the following applies:

• The transfer is to a country, territory, or one or more specific sectors in that country (or an international organisation), that the European Commission has determined ensures an adequate level of protection for personal data;
• The transfer is to a country (or international organisation) which provides appropriate safeguards in the form of a legally binding agreement between public authorities or bodies; binding corporate rules; standard data protection clauses adopted by the European Commission; compliance with an approved code of conduct approved by a supervisory authority (e.g. the Information Commissioner’s Office); certification under an approved certification mechanism (as provided for in the Data Protection Act 2018); contractual clauses agreed and authorised by the competent supervisory authority; or provisions inserted into administrative arrangements between public authorities or bodies authorised by the competent supervisory authority;
• The transfer is made with the informed consent of the relevant data subject(s);
• The transfer is necessary for the performance of a contract between the data subject and the Company (or for pre-contractual steps taken at the request of the data subject);
• The transfer is necessary for important public interest reasons;
• The transfer is necessary for the conduct of legal claims;
• The transfer is necessary to protect the vital interests of the data subject or other individuals where the data subject is physically or legally unable to give their consent; or
• The transfer is made from a register that, under UK or EU law, is intended to provide information to the public and which is open for access by the public in general or otherwise to those who are able to show a legitimate interest in accessing the register.

Data Breach Notification

• All personal data breaches must be reported immediately to the Company’s Data Protection Officer.
• If a personal data breach occurs and that breach is likely to result in a risk to the rights and freedoms of data subjects (e.g. financial loss, breach of confidentiality, discrimination, reputational damage, or other significant social or economic damage), the Data Protection Officer must ensure that the Information Commissioner’s Office is informed of the breach without delay, and in any event, within 72 hours after having become aware of it.
• In the event that a personal data breach is likely to result in a high risk (that is, a higher risk than that described under Part 29.2) to the rights and freedoms of data subjects, the Data Protection Officer must ensure that all affected data subjects are informed of the breach directly and without undue delay.
• Data breach notifications shall include the following information:
• The categories and approximate number of data subjects concerned;
• The categories and approximate number of personal data records concerned;
• The name and contact details of the Company’s data protection officer (or other contact point where more information can be obtained);
• The likely consequences of the breach;
• Details of the measures taken, or proposed to be taken, by the Company to address the breach including, where appropriate, measures to mitigate its possible adverse effects.

POLICY STATEMENT

 AKREDITAS LTD recognises the importance of learner complaints and welcomes complaints as a valuable form of feedback about its services. We are committed to using the information we receive to help drive forward improvements.

This procedure outlines the aims of AKREDITAS LTD in dealing with complaints and sets out what you as the customer can expect when making a complaint regarding a service.

A complaint is a way of letting us know that you are not happy with a particular service. We welcome your feedback. A complaint may be about delay, lack of response, discourtesy, failure to consult or about the standard of service you have received.

So please let us know if :

• you think we have done something wrong
• we have not done something that we said we would do
• you are not satisfied with a particular service or set of services that we provide

ANONYMOUS COMPLAINTS

We understand that it might be difficult for you to complain because you are worried that your complaint could result in a poorer service.  Please be assured that we treat all complaints in the strictest confidence, and that it is your right to complain. If you do not provide us with a contact name or address, it will not be possible for us to get back to you with the outcome of the investigation

PROCEDURE

In the first instance, the complaint should be discussed with the team member concerned and resolution sought within 48 hours of the incident occurring.  If this is successful and a resolution is reached, the complaint should be documented on the attached Appendix (1) and sent to the Company Administrator for filing. This should be received by the Company Administrator by the end of the next working day. There will be no further action taken.

In the case of an individual wishing to make the complaint, who feels unable to discuss the complaint with the team member concerned, the matter should be referred to the Training Manager within 48 hours of the incident occurring. The Training Manager should then contact the Company Owner within the next 7 days to make them aware of the complaint. The nature of the complaint will be documented as per Appendix (2) and sent to the Training Manager.

On receipt of the complaint, the nature of the complaint will be brought to the attention of the team member concerned and discussed within 48 hours of receiving the complaint. The Training Manager will then contact the individual making the complaint with a view to resolve.

If resolution cannot be found, the Training Manager will arrange a meeting with all relevant parties and agree a resolution. This will take place within 30 days. This will be final.

The Company Administrator will maintain a record of all complaints and make these available on request. All complaints must be regarded as confidential and discussed only with those parties involved. 

In the instance where the complaint is around an assessment / verification decision, then the stages outlined in the Appeals Procedure must be followed.

We at the  AKREDITAS LTD  provide a formal route for our learners wishing to appeal against an assessment decision. All learners are assessed against the relevant learning outcomes for the course and regulating organisation criteria, where applicable. Assessment decisions are made by internal Assessors. 

Areas for Appeal

Our Appeals Policy enables learners in certain situations to make a formal appeal against a recommendation or assessment decision relating to:

1. the Assessor’s decision on any element of assessment that differs to that of our Internal Quality Assurer’s decision (for example, if an internal assessment has been marked by the Assessor as achieved but the Internal Quality Assurer disagrees with this decision).
2. an application for a reasonable adjustment or special consideration submitted to the regulating organisation for approval.

1. our final, overall assessment decision for a CPD Course.

Grounds for Appeal

The following is a list of examples and is not exhaustive:

• A reasonable adjustment was refused without reason, or a decision to limit a requested for a reasonable adjustment proved to be inappropriate or insufficient. 
• The learner requested special consideration, but this does not seem to have been applied.
• There was inappropriate or irregular conduct on the part of the Assessor.

Appeals Process

Stage 1

The learner should discuss on the day they receive the assessment decision their intention to appeal that decision directly with the Assessor responsible for informing the learner of that decision. If the learner is dissatisfied with the outcome of this discussion, the learner should request a ‘Learners Appeals Application’ form which can be posted or email to you. The learner must submit this form within five days of the date of the assessment and include with it any supporting evidence (see additional notes below). Appeals received after this time will not be heard.

Stage 2

Once received by us, our designated Internal Quality Assurer (“IQA”) will investigate the appeal and respond in writing to the learner with a decision within 20 working days of receipt of the form. If the learner is dissatisfied with the IQA’s decision, the learner should make a complaint directly to the Owner of the company.

Additional Notes

1. It is extremely difficult to investigate appeals without impartial evidence. Therefore, appeals against referrals in practical teaching based solely on the learner’s disagreement with the Assessor’s decision will only be considered when accompanied by a video recording of the learner’s practical assessment.
2. The learner has the right to video any aspect of their practical assessment using their own video recording equipment provided it does not interfere with the assessment process, other learners, or the Assessor’s ability to carry out their role(s).
3. It is the responsibility of the learner to arrange a video operator.
4. Prior to the assessment date and so that a decision can be made for deferral, it is the responsibility of the learner to notify us of any medical problem which may affect the learner’s performance adversely in the assessment process.

Aims and Objectives of the Policy

AKREDITAS LTD has a duty under the Equality Act 2010 to make any reasonable

adjustments that can be made for our learners to ensure they are not discriminated against.

We aim to facilitate open and fair access to our training for learners who are eligible for reasonable adjustments and / or special considerations without compromising the assessment of skills, knowledge, understanding or competence being measured , AKREDITAS LTD  achieve this through;

Reasonable Adjustments

 AKREDITAS LTD will consider requests for Reasonable Adjustments and Special Considerations.

This is agreed at point of booking/registration. The learner must request within a reasonable timeframe any adjustments that may be needed to reduce the effect of a disability or difficulty, which places the learner at a substantial disadvantage. Any requests for reasonable adjustments must not affect the quality and reliability of the learning outcomes nor must they give the learner an advantage over other learners undertaking the same or similar training.

Reasonable Adjustments may not be applied to training that will provide a “licence to practice” or where the learner needs to demonstrate a practical competence.

Special Considerations

A special consideration request can be made during or after a training event to reflect temporary illness, injury or indisposition that occurred at the time of the event. Any special considerations granted cannot remove the difficulty the learner faced at the time of the event and can only be a relatively small adjustment to ensure that the integrity of the training is not compromised. Special consideration may not be applied to training that will provide a “licence to practice” or where the learner needs to demonstrate a practical competence.

AKREDITAS LTD  will only consider requests for Reasonable Adjustments and Special

Considerations submitted within a timely manner and have completed the appropriate paperwork for these requests.

Reasonable Adjustments

A reasonable adjustment helps to reduce the effect of a disability or a difficulty that places the learner at a substantial disadvantage.

Reasonable adjustments must not affect the quality and reliability of the learning outcomes, but may include;

• Ensuring any online learning is more accessible (such as ability to adjust display settings and providing advice/guidance on speech technology)
• Providing assistance during an assessment of learning
• Adapting materials or providing it on coloured paper
• Re-organising the physical assessment/learning environment
• Use of mechanical and electronic aids
• Use of assistive software
• Use of low vision aids
• British Sign Language

Reasonable adjustments must be approved and set in place prior to any assessment or learning is carried out.

Any assessment of work following a reasonable adjustment has been made must be carried out in the same way of work from other learners.

Reasonable adjustments must never give a learner and advantage to other learners and must never affect the quality or reliability of the learning.

It is important to note that not all requests for reasonable adjustments may be granted if they are not deemed reasonable, permissible or practical in certain situations. The learner may not need, nor be allowed, the same adjustments for all learning.

Requests for reasonable adjustments are approved by AKREDITAS LTD prior to any

bookings/registrations are taken. They are intended to allow access to training / assessment but can only be approved if the adjustment does not;

• Affect the quality and reliability of the learning
• Provide an unfair advantage to other learners
• Influence or compromise the final outcome of the assessment of learning

Any requests for reasonable adjustments must be made to  AKREDITAS LTD within 7 days of registration / booking or at least 28 working days before an assessment / classroom event using the appropriate paperwork.  If you are unsure if a learner requires a reasonable adjustment, please speak with AKREDITAS LTD who will provide the relevant guidance.

 Special Considerations

A special consideration is consideration given to a learner who was prepared and present at an assessment but may have been disadvantaged by temporary illness, injury or adverse circumstances outside of their control.

It is important to note that special consideration may not be possible where assessment requires the demonstration of practical competence, or the training provides a “licence to practice”.

Where an assessment of learning is carried out and marked by a computer, the learner will have the ability to take it at a later date however this must be completed prior to any practical assessments or other learning is carried out.

A special consideration cannot give a learner an unfair advantage to other learners and must not mislead the learners’ achievement. The learner’s results must reflect their true achievement and not potential ability. AKREDITAS LTD’s decision on requests for special considerations will vary from learner to learner and one subject to another. The factors may include the severity of the consideration, date of assessment and the nature of the assessment such as practical or oral presentation.

The learner may be eligible for special considerations if;

• The performance in an assessment is affected by circumstances out of their control, such as recent personal illness, accident or bereavement
• Alternative arrangements which were agreed in advance proved to be inappropriate or inadequate
• Part of an assessment / event was missed due to circumstances beyond the control of the learner

The learner will not be eligible for special consideration if;

• The leaner has not been affected at the time of an assessment by a particular condition
• Part of an assessment / event is missed due to personal arrangements including holidays or unauthorised absence
• The event / assessment is affected by difficulties such as disturbances through building work, lack of proper facilities, changes in or shortages of staff or industrial disputes

Examples of circumstances where special consideration may be given are;

• Terminal illness of the learner
• Recent bereavement of a member of the immediate family
• Serious of disruptive domestic crises leading to acute anxiety about the family
• Incapacitating illness or injury of the learner
• Severe car accident
• Outbreak of infection where learners are in isolation
• Lost or damaged work beyond the control of the learner

Special consideration will not be granted for minor illness or a minor disturbance.

Requests for special considerations are approved by AKREDITAS LTD  Applications for special considerations must be made on case-by-case basis and thus separate applications must be made for each learner. Any requests for special considerations will only be approved if they do not;

• Affect the quality and reliability of the learning
• Provide an unfair advantage to other learners
• Influence or compromise the final outcome of the assessment of learning

Any requests for special considerations must be made to AKREDITAS LTD within 7 days of the event or assessment using the appropriate paperwork.  If you are unsure if a learner requires a special consideration please speak with  AKREDITAS LTD  who will provide the relevant guidance.

It is important to note that special consideration will not be granted if / where learner achievement has been acknowledged and certified.