Official assessments are exclusively carried out by Accredited Assessors to ensure the highest quality and rigour in the assessment process. These professionals have significant experience in the hydropower sector and in relevant sustainability issues. Accredited Assessors have been specifically trained to deliver quality and uniformity.
Becoming an Accredited Assessor
Accreditation process is overseen and managed by the Secretariat on behalf of the Council. Accreditation is subject to:
Completion of the Accredited Assessor training, which has been authorised by the HS Council
Issuance of a licence agreement for the Standard and the Hydropower Sustainability Tools. The licence represents an agreement entered into between an Accredited Assessor and the Secretariat regarding the Terms & Conditions of their accreditation.
Ongoing compliance with all the terms of that licence, including adherence to the code of ethics and continuous professional development through participation in focal area workshops and in updates to accreditation training.
Accredited Assessors:
Have a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent;
Have at least six years of relevant work experience;
Have appropriate auditing qualification in line with ISO 19011 and/or 14001; and
Completed 40 hours of training in Environmental Management Systems, health and safety or social auditing.
Categories of Accredited Assessors
Provisionally Accredited Assessor (PAA): An assessor that has passed a recognised training course organised by the Council but who has yet to fulfil, in a satisfactory manner, the practical training involved with becoming an Accredited Assessor. A Provisionally Accredited Assessor can make contractual arrangements with a client but needs to work with at least one Accredited Assessor. Their eligibility for full accreditation is subject to participating in at least one Assessment at which a positive appraisal is submitted by the Accredited Assessors involved in the Assessments, through an evaluation form to the HS Secretariat for approval.
Accredited Assessor (AA): An assessor that holds a current accreditation for the use of the Standard. To maintain the status of a fully Accredited Assessor, the Assessor should conduct one Assessment per year (each annual period from the date of accreditation).
Accredited Lead Assessor (ALA): An Accredited Assessor who has demonstrated the requisite skills and experience to conduct Assessments on a range of topics in a range of assessment scenarios. Accredited Lead Assessors make up a reference advisory group to the HS Council for technical queries on Assessments, Standard performance requirements and other practical matters.
If you are interested to learn more about becoming an accredited assessor, please email the HS Secretariat at sustainability@hydropower.org.