Certification Procedure

• Inquiry: The overall process for the certification audit.
• Proposal: After reviewing standards, scope, and number of employees, a certification proposal will be sent including audit days and costs.
• Certification Guide Dispatch: Prospective clients will be informed of the certification procedure and requirements related to certification issuing through the Certification Guide.
• Certification Application and Contract: After receipt of the application, a contract agreement will be signed. Once signed, both parties must meet all requirements by reviewing the certification contract and client requests.
• Establishing the Audit Plan and Audit Team: The audit planner composes the audit team according to the audit team composition policy after reviewing the audit scope, schedule, and auditor competence.
• Audit: The stage 1 audit is performed to review the client’s management system documentation. The stage 2 audit evaluates the implementation and effectiveness of the client’s management system and takes place at the client’s site.
• The QAED shall provide one copy of each audit report in relation to each client.
• Verification: The QAED shall provide its decision or comments regarding the eligibility of each client for certification in writing after receiving the audit report.
• Surveillance Audit: The first surveillance audit following initial certification shall occur within 12 months from the last day of the stage 2 audit.
• The QAED shall provide one copy of each surveillance report in relation to each client.
• Verification: The QAED shall provide its decision or comments regarding the eligibility of each client for continuing certification after reviewing the surveillance report.
• Re-certification Audit: A re-certification audit shall be conducted every three years and must occur before the certification’s expiry date.

Suspending, Withdrawing, or Reducing the Scope of Certification and Refusing

1) Suspending, Withdrawing, or Reducing the Scope of Certification

Withdrawal

An organization that wishes to withdraw from any certification scheme must notify the management department in writing. The organization shall, within a reasonable timeframe, discontinue all advertising materials containing any reference to the certificate.

Suspension

The QAED shall suspend the certification of an organization under the following circumstances:

• The organization’s management system has persistently or seriously failed to meet certification requirements, including effectiveness requirements.
• The organization does not allow surveillance or recertification audits to be conducted at the required frequency.
• The organization has voluntarily requested suspension of its certification.
• The organization fails to take corrective actions for nonconformities within the specified timeframe.
• The organization makes incorrect or misleading references to its certification status, certificate, or audit reports.
• The organization infringes the requirements of the certification contract.

The organization whose certification is suspended must take corrective action before the end of the suspension period. Failure to resolve the issues will result in withdrawal of certification. The organization may appeal if dissatisfied with the decision to suspend or withdraw certification.

2) Expanding and Reducing the Scope of Certification

Reducing the Scope of Certification

Failure to resolve issues that caused suspension within the timeframe established by the certification body shall result in withdrawal or reduction of the certification scope.

The QAED shall reduce the certification scope to exclude parts not meeting requirements when the client has persistently or seriously failed to comply. Any reduction shall align with the applicable standard’s requirements.

During suspension, the client’s management system certification is temporarily invalid.

Expanding the Scope of Certification

The QAED shall review applications for expanding the scope of certification and determine any necessary audit activities to decide whether the extension may be granted. Any expansion shall align with the applicable standard’s requirements.

3) Refusing

After reviewing an application, The QAED shall either accept or decline certification. When an application is declined, the reasons shall be documented and clearly communicated to the client.