ARB Consultation Process

Purpose

The Assurance Review Board (ARB) has created this process for the purpose of increasing and encouraging communications between the ARB and Assessors, Credential Service Providers (CSPs), or a community stakeholder. This process supplements the authoritative Kantara Initiative Assurance Assessment Scheme as part of the Kantara Initiative Identity Assurance Framework.

Kantara Initiative is committed to offering high quality Identity Assurance services. Kantara Initiative provides channels of input for inquiries regarding its Trust Framework Provider program operations. Trusted communications, including feedback, questions, complaints, and process optimizations, are essential to risk identification and mitigation.

Audience

Assessors, Credential Service Providers, and community stakeholders seeking a consultative session with the ARB on matters identified within the following Scope.

Scope

Establishment and operation of a consultative process through which Assessors, Credential Service Providers, and community stakeholders can engage in confidential and non-binding discussions with the Assurance Review Board for purposes of clarification of scope, requirements, interpretation, equivalency or any other issue of a potentially confidential and sensitive nature.

Confidentiality

In alignment with ARB charter and policy, the consultation shall be confidential and non-binding.

Process

  1. Assessor, CSP, or community stakeholder contacts or sends a “Request for ARB Consultation” to secretariat@kantarainitiative.org;
  2. The Secretariat shall respond to all inquiries as soon as possible (within two business days from time of receipt of email);
  3. The Secretariat shall work with the requesting point of contact to understand the nature of the request;
  4. The Secretariat shall notify the ARB Chair of the request;
  5. The Secretariat shall work with the ARB Chair to determine and confirm ARB stakeholders to participate in the particular consultation, hereafter called the ARB Consultative Panel;
  6. The Secretariat shall schedule a meeting for the appropriate stakeholder organizations and the ARB Consultative Panel.

Consultation

  1. The discussion, data provided, and findings shall not be stored without notice and consent of all parties included in the consultation;
  2. The exception to the above may be a case where a consultation results in recommendations to clarify or optimize the program. In this case the ARB may present a recommendation to the Identity Assurance WG for inclusion in their work stream. This recommendation shall not identify the source organization or conversation and shall be presented as the findings of the ARB;
  3. In the case that more than one consultation is necessary, the Assessor or CSP may work with the ARB Consultative Panel to schedule follow-on consultations.