Appeal Handling Process
The auditee has the right to appeal to the INTERCERT against any decisions made under the certification conditions agreed by the INTERCERT and the auditee.
Upon receipt of an appeal, it will be reviewed by the INTERCERT Certification Manager or independent reviewer in cases appeal or complaint refers to activities managed by the Certification Manager if required; it would be circulated to all concerned personnel for their feedback.
Appeals will be recorded and the records shall be retained.
The appeal handling process will be independent of the certification process.
INTERCERT provides Action Request for Appeals and Complaints - to those who wish to appeal. Any appeals either written or verbal will be recorded using the Complaints & Appeals Register. Any correspondence records in relation to the appeals will be included in the Complaints & Appeals Register and this shall be forwarded to the INTERCERT Certification Manager.
The appellant shall provide objective evidence to support the justification of his/her appeal. Appeals with sufficient evidence will be forwarded to the INTERCERT Certification Manager for review.
Head Certification / Independent reviewers are responsible for all decisions at all levels of the appeals-handling process. He ensures that the persons engaged in the appeal handling process are different from those who carried out the audits and make the certification decisions.
Both the appellant and certification personnel concerned shall be communicated individually with confidentiality for the relevant matters. The decision made by the Head Certification / Independent reviewer will be the final one and recorded on the Complaints & Appeals Request. The decision is communicated to the appellant in writing by the Certification Manager.
Submission, investigation, and decision on appeals will not result in any discriminatory actions against the appellant.
The certification Manager gives formal information to the appellant on the submission, progress, decision, and close-out of the appeal.
Grievances
All complaints or appeals can be registered officially through the INTERCERT website, email, phone, and post, for all such complaints
INTERCERT Upon receipt of a complaint confirm whether the complaint relates to certification activities that it is responsible for and, if so, shall deal with it. In case of a complaint related to a certified client then examination of the complaint considers the effectiveness of the certified management system all such valid complaints are referred to the certified client for response.
Upon receipt of either written or verbal complaints, they shall be recorded on the Complaints & Appeals Register. Any correspondence connected with the complaints shall be attached to this record, the entire process and documents are retained as confidential.
The complaint-handling panel which consists of the Certification Manager and Head Certification shall jointly review the complaints, decide appropriate remedial actions, and appoint individuals responsible for those actions. All the information shall be recorded on the Complaints & Appeals Register.
The decisions that are to be made to the complainants shall be made, reviewed, and approved by the persons who do not have any previous relationships with the complainants.
When the remedial actions have been satisfactorily completed, the Certification Manager signs the close-out section of the Complaints and Appeals Request.
The progress, outcome, and close-out of the complaints shall be noticed to the complainants within twelve weeks from the date of the receipt. In general, all complaints shall be closed out within twelve weeks from the date of the receipt.
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