Approval for Certification
The issued certificate to client identifies the following:. In cases of any non-compliance or requirement of additional information or clarification, report shall be sent back to audit team leader for necessary actions / submission. In cases of audit report meeting the requirements, certificate is granted based on the approval of approving authority i.e. CEO. Certification committee may refuse certification, in case of non fulfilment of audit criteria, non submission of corrective action / documentation to meet the requirements within stipulated time frame. In cases of re-certification, certification committee shall make decisions on renewing certification based on the results of the recertification audit, as well as the results of the review of the system over the period of certification and complaints received from users of certification.
Detail for issuing of certification
The issued certificate to client identifies the following:
- The date of granting, extending or renewing certification.
- The name of the certified client and geographic location (such as the geographic location of the headquarters and any sites)
- The expiry date or recertification due date
- A unique identification code/revision number, Certification standards, normative document and the scope of certification.
- Details and certification mark of Gradient Certification
- In the event of issuing any revised certification documents, a means to distinguish the revised documents from any prior obsolete documents.
Suspension of certification
Suspension of certification may be done in the following cases::
- The certified client’s management system has persistently failed to meet certification requirements, including requirements for the effectiveness of the management system.
- The certified client does not allow surveillance or recertification audit to be conducted at the required frequencies.
- The certified client has voluntarily requested a suspension.
- In case of not applying of new standards that changed due to certification system.
- Violate use of certification mark or Violate contract or agreement of certification
- In case of providing false information or document during audit.
Restoring of Certification
Gradient Certification shall restore the suspended certification if the issue that has resulted in the suspension has been resolved. Failure to resolve the issues that have resulted in the suspension within six month shall result in withdrawal or reduction of the scope of certification.
Withdrawing of certification
Certification manger shall cancel certification of in following matters: • Failure to resolve the issues that have resulted in the suspension within six month • The certified client has voluntarily requested for withdrawal..
Expanding or Reducing the scope of certification
Gradient Certification shall, in response to an application for expanding 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. Gradient Certification 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 certification requirements for those parts of the scope of certification. Any such reduction will be in line with the requirements of the standard used for certification. Gradient Certification enforceable arrangements with the certified client concerning conditions of withdrawal ensuring upon notice of withdrawal of certification that the client discontinues its use of all advertising matter that contains any reference to a certified status. Upon request by any party, Gradient Certification will state the status of certification of a client's management system as being suspended, withdrawn or reduced.
Complaints and Appeals
For Compaints or appeals, please contact at: operations@gradientcert.com. Gradient Certification shall, in response to any complaint and appeals (by client or any third party) shall open a case, investigate and come out with a root cause analysis and corrective action within 2 weeks.