Wes Bucey said:
Any kind of financially struggling supplier gives (or should give) customers pause. It speaks to capacity and may also have a major impact on capability.
Right you are! Since the organization I work for is a Certification Body/Registrar, I have seen over the years, many questionnaires, surveys aimed at establishment of a criteria for registrar selection. I am yet to see one that delves in the issue of registrar financial soundness.
ISO Guide 62 paragraph 2.1.2i) states:
"...the certification/registration body shall have the financial stability and resources required for the operation of a certification/registration system...."
ISO 17021, which will succeed ISO Guides 62 and 66 state, in it's present draft version:
5.3 Liability and financing
5.3.2 The certification body shall evaluate its finances and sources of income and demonstrate to the committee specified in clause 6.4 that commercial, financial or other pressures do not compromise its impartiality.
I am curious to know how the Accreditation Bodies check for that requirement, during their accreditation audits.