Certification of management systems

Interest for certification of management system

Fill in “Request for Offer”. Following the filled “Request for Offer” we will prepare the Offer.

After accepting (signing) the Offer by you we will prepare proposal of Certification Agreement. Certification Agreement is signed for the period of 3 years (validity of Certificate is also 3 years).

The certification process and its stages

Preparation stage

Certification body nominate the audit team.

Certification audit – 1. stage

The first stage of the audit is conducted to gather sufficient information and verify that the basic requirements for the proper functioning of the management system have been met. The lead auditor verifies the completeness of the documentation regarding the requirements of the relevant standards and regulations.

Certification audit – 2. stage

The second stage of the certification audit is conducted at the client’s premises. The audit process consists of the following phases::

preparation (programme) – the lead auditor will develop a plan that includes a timeline and requirements for the participation of individual client staff members
conducting an audit – the process of audit performance
closing meeting – the audit team will review the audit at a closing meeting with representatives of the certified organization’s management
preparatrion of the report – the final document resulting from the certification audit is the certification audit report. The report is prepared by the lead auditor, who is also responsible for its completeness and accuracy.

Granting of the certificate

The director of the certification body will decide on the issuance of the certificate.

Rules for usage of the QSCert certification mark

Surveillance audits

The certification body QSCert conducts surveillance audits once a year during the validity period of the issued certificate. Surveillance audits are conducted and documented in the same manner as the certification audit. The lead auditor prepares a surveillance audit report.

Transfer of accredited certification

The transfer of accredited certification means a review of an existing and valid management system certificate issued by another accredited certification body for the purpose of issuing a certificate by QSCert.

Suspension and withdrawal of the certificate

Reasons for suspension of certificate validity

A management system certificate may be suspended for a certified organization based on the following facts:

the result of a surveillance audit or extra ordinary surveillance audit
failure to correct serious nonconformities identified during a surveillance audit or extra ordinary surveillance audit within the agreed timeframe
failure to allow a surveillance audit to be conducted within the timeframe specified in the certification contract
failure to allow an extra ordinary surveillance audit to be conducted
breach of the duty to inform – failure to report changes that have a significant impact on the functioning of the management system
misuse of the QSCert certificate or certification mark
failure to fulfill any obligation to the certification body, even within 30 days after the due date

Certificate suspension procedure

The director of the certification body decides on the suspension of the validity of the certificate by issuing a “Decision on the suspension of the validity of the certificate”, where he also states the conditions that must be met for the renewal of the certificate. The decision is delivered to the certified organization and this fact is published on the QSCert website. During the suspension period of the certificate, the certified organization is not authorized to use the certificate or the QSCert certification mark, nor to refer to the certification.

If the reason for suspending the validity of the certificate continues even after the suspension period has expired, the certification body is obliged to withdraw the certificate.

Procedure for renewing the validity of a suspended certificate

If the conditions specified in the Decision on the suspension of the validity of the certificate have been met within the specified period, the director of the certification body will issue a “Decision on the renewal of the validity of the certificate”. The decision is delivered to the certified organization and this fact is published on the QSCert website.

Reasons for withdrawing the certificate

The certificate of the management system can be withdrawn from the certified organization based on the following facts:

the reason on the basis of which the certificate was suspended was not resolved within the specified period
the certified organization uses or refers to the certificate during the period of its suspension
bankruptcy proceedings have been initiated against the assets of the certified organization, or such proceedings have been dismissed or stayed due to insufficient assets, or bankruptcy has not been initiated because the assets are insufficient to cover the administrator’s costs
request of a certified organization

Certificate withdrawal procedure

Based on the confirmed findings, the director of the certification body will issue a “Decision on withdrawal of the certificate”. The decision is delivered to the certified organization and this fact is published on the QSCert website.

Procedure for submitting a complaint

Complaints against the activities of the certification body must be submitted in writing to the e-mail address qscert@qscert.sk or to the address of the certification body.

Based on the review of the complaint, QSCert will notify the complainant of how the complaint will be resolved, or of the steps that will be taken to investigate the complaint and the expected timeframe for doing so.

Appeal against the action of the QSCert certification body

In the event that the QSCert certification body does not issue a certificate to the client or withdraws the certificate, the client is entitled within 30 days from the date of delivery of the notice of such action to file an appeal against this action to the commission for the protection of the impartiality of the QSCert certification body. The appeal is submitted in writing. The exact procedure for filing an appeal is specified in the Certification Agreement.

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Certification of management systems