Enquiry and free estimate
Following your enquiry and completion of our application form, we will review the information and provide you with a free estimate.
There are no fees payable until you have accepted our estimate and returned the signed contract that includes the conditions for certification.
We will contact you to start the certification process and agree on dates for the Stage 1 Audit and provisional dates for the Stage 2 Certification Assessment.
Certification Approval & Surveillance Programme
When your Management System complies with the certified standard a certificate of approval is issued, which is valid for three years, subject to satisfactory on-going maintenance of your quality management system. Verification is through an audit surveillance programme that is carried out through yearly surveillance visits organised to fit in with your business requirements.
Use of Certification Mark
You will receive a certification mark and conditions for use with your certificate of approval. It is important that you read the conditions for use as there are clear rules where the certification mark can be used. If you need any further information, please contact [email protected].
Stage 1 - Visit
The stage 1 audit (part of which is generally on site), provides a focus for planning the Main Audit, reviews documentation specific to your business and works with your staff to quickly resolve any problems.
Stage 2 - Main audit visit
The Main Audit measures the effectiveness of the Quality Management System in managing your quality requirements, products, processes and services. The audit is carried out alongside your own people, with results and findings openly discussed and reviewed. At the end of the audit a report is prepared for acknowledgement and acceptance by your company representative. Any corrective actions arising from the audit are discussed and any forward plan of work agreed, including a follow-up visit if needed.
Recertification
On the third year of your certification before the expiry date of your certificate of approval, your certification will be renewed through a re-certification process.
Refusing Certification
SN Registrars may refuse application for certification, if in its reasonable opinion, the client does not comply with the requirements of the relevant standard or fails to comply with any of its obligations under the Contract, or uses the certificate of approval in such a manner that may be misleading or that may bring SN Registrars into disrepute.
Suspending Certification
The certified client may be suspended in cases when:
- the client’s certified management system has persistently or seriously failed to meet certification requirements, including requirements for the effectiveness of the management system
- the certified client does not allow audits to be conducted at the required frequencies
- the certified client has voluntarily requested a suspension.
Upon suspension, the client management system certification is temporarily invalid. The suspended certification shall be restored if the issue that has resulted in the suspension has been resolved. Failure to resolve the issues that have resulted in the suspension in a defined timeline shall result in withdrawal or reduction of the scope of certification.
Withdrawing Certification
Certification may be withdrawn in cases when:
- the client fails to resolve issues that have resulted in the suspension in a defined timeline
- the client fails to meet contract requirements e.g. failure to resolve major nonconformities, not accepting on-going assessment visits, etc.
- the client requests voluntarily to withdraw.
Extensions to scope
SN Registrars will in response to an application for extension to the scope of a certification already granted, undertake a review of the application and determine any audit activities necessary to decide whether or not the extension may be granted. This may be conducted in conjunction with a surveillance audit.
Reduction in scope
SN Registrars will reduce the client’s scope of certification to exclude the parts not meeting the requirements, when the client has persistently or seriously failed to meet the requirement of the standard for those parts of the scope of certification. Any such reduction shall be in line with the requirements of the standard used for certification.
Complaints and Appeals
On receipt of a complaint or appeal, we will process the case in accordance with our complaints and appeals procedure. An independent panel/person will be appointed to review the case. A copy of our complaints and appeals procedure will be made available upon request from [email protected]
