The claim that has to be true for any of the rest to matter

Structural controls

How independence is enforced rather than asserted

No build, no resell

Deep Heuristics does not develop AI products, resell AI platforms, or take referral fees from vendors. There is no product line whose sales an unfavourable finding could damage.

Advisory firewall

We do not certify a system whose controls we designed. Where we have advised on remediation, certification of that system is performed by a different provider or not at all.

Non-contingent fees

Fees are fixed at scoping. No fee, bonus, or commission at Deep Heuristics varies with the conclusion of an assessment.

Separation of duties

The team that assesses does not decide. The team that decides does not sell. Certification decisions require review by someone outside the engagement.

Client concentration limits

We monitor revenue concentration, because an institution that cannot afford to lose a client has already lost its independence with respect to that client.

Personal interest declarations

Assessors declare holdings and prior relationships and are recused where a conflict exists, including where it is only apparent.

Right to withdraw

Contracts preserve our right to suspend or withdraw a mark, and our right to publish the fact of withdrawal. This is not negotiable in commercial terms.

Appeal, not pressure

Clients who disagree with a finding have a documented appeal route heard by uninvolved reviewers. There is no informal route.