--- title: "Essential Eight: Proving It, Assessments and Awkward Questions | StartCloud" url: https://startcloud.au/learn/essential-eight-proving-it description: "Module 8 of our free Essential Eight pathway: whether you need to be certified (you do not), what evidence an assessor actually wants, how to answer an insurer or tender questionnaire honestly, and how to stop your position decaying." lang: en --- Module 8 and the capstone of StartCloud's Essential Eight for Australian Business pathway, in five short units with a knowledge check: why ASD requires no independent certification and the three situations where independent assessment may still be required, what counts as evidence versus what does not, how to answer an insurer or tender questionnaire without overstating or underselling, and the monthly, quarterly and yearly rhythm that stops a maturity position decaying. # Proving it: assessments and awkward questions Module 8 · Evidence Unit 1 of 5 · about 2 min ## Do you need to be certified? This is the question every business asks, and there is a lot of marketing built on getting the answer slightly wrong. So here is what ASD says. There is no requirement to be certified by an independent party ASD is clear on this. There is no Essential Eight certificate to buy, no register to appear on, and nobody who can officially bless you. If a vendor implies you must be certified by them, that is a sales position rather than a rule. There is an important exception, and it is the reason the question keeps coming up. ASD notes that an implementation **may** need to be assessed by an independent party in three specific situations. A government directive or policy Common if you supply to, or are part of, a Commonwealth entity. A regulatory authority Where your industry's regulator requires it of you. Contractual arrangements The most common one for private businesses. A big customer writes it into the contract. So what should most businesses do? Assess yourself, honestly, and keep the evidence. If a contract later demands an independent assessment, you will be ready for it instead of starting from scratch under a deadline. ASD publishes an Essential Eight assessment process guide setting out how assessments should be conducted, which is worth reading before you pay anyone to do one for you. StartCloud assistant Online G'day! 👋 I'm the StartCloud assistant. 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