Certification Process & Rules

1.  Introduction

These rules have been prepared against criteria for competence set out in (2) below. The Scope of Accreditation issued by NABCB is an acknowledgement that ISOQAR has the necessary expertise and ability to manage audits in those particular sectors.  Details of all accredited scopes held are available on request to ISOQAR India. If a particular sector is outside the present accredited scope of ISOQAR then an UKAS / ANAB accredited certificate will be offered at the discretion of ISOQAR. 

Certification of a management system is not a statement by the certification body guaranteeing that the product or services actually meet specified requirements. Certification does not imply a view on the specification of a product or service.  It does not guarantee a good product or service. 

ISOQAR Ltd is a privately owned independent organisation. 

2. Scope

ISOQAR undertakes the audit, evaluation and certification of management systems operated by companies to the respective management system standards applied for. The client must agree to supply all necessary information to ISOQAR. 

3.  Personnel

ISOQAR Ltd undertakes to provide suitably qualified personnel for all audit and surveillance work using their own staff or suitable qualified subcontractors.  All members of ISOQAR Ltd (full-time employees or sub-contractors) are required to sign confidentiality agreements concerned with all confidential information to which they may be exposed at client premises.

The client has right to object to any auditor if he perceives conflict to his interest. He can raise his objection to Director Operations, who shall review the potential impartiality threat and take necessary actions; however the change cannot be guaranteed. 

4   Certification Contract

On receiving a completed Questionnaire ISOQAR Ltd will prepare a contract detailing audit cost, terms, conditions and requirements. On acceptance of this contract, the client will sign the contract and forward it with the advance cheque to ISOQAR Ltd. The project will then be allocated by the Director Operations to a suitable audit team who will then carry out the audit in line with ISOQAR's procedures. 

5.   Audit Methodology

(i)    The first stage of the audit as carried out by ISOQAR Ltd is to carry out Stage 1 audit, a review of the client's documentation with respect to the appropriate standard(s). This is to be performed onsite at the client's premises in conjunction with the client's management representative.

(ii)   On satisfying the auditor on the compliance of the documentation and site requirements (if applicable), a report is produced and Stage 2 audit date is agreed and an audit is carried out by the auditor(s). If further visits are required due to non-compliances found, these will be undertaken and extra charge will be incurred by the client. The on-site audit is carried out using client manuals and procedures and by interviewing relevant members of staff regarding their working practices.

(iii)   After certification, if the client changes anything which significantly affects the registration, then ISOQAR must be informed.  ISOQAR reserves the right to re-audit if necessary.

(iv)   Triennial / Renewal audit is required by ISOQAR. All non conformances if any has to be closed prior to Triennial / Renewal audit

(iv)   The details of the certification process is available on our web site www.isoqar.com / www.isoqarindia.com

6.   Certification

On completion of the on-site audit the Lead Auditor reports to the Director Operations.  On receiving a report stating that the client's management system meets the requirements of the relevant Standards and approval by Certification Committee, the certificate is issued. The certificate remains the property of ISOQAR Ltd.  Providing the client maintains the management system to the required standard, the certificate is valid for three years.   Triennial / Renewal audit is to be carried out at least three months prior to the expiry of the certificate at extra cost.  

7.   Surveillance

After the issue of a certificate, to maintain annual registration, surveillance visits will be carried out at the client's premises (announced visits) at least once per year.  If areas of concern are identified, more visits may be carried out at the discretion of the Director Ops. The client agrees to meet the extra costs relating to such increased surveillance.  Any changes to scope, products or manufacturing processes must be communicated to ISOQAR Ltd.

In case the surveillance audit is delayed beyond 13 months up to 15 months, at least 25% additional time of the planned surveillance (minimum 0.5 days) shall be spent on chargeable basis. In case the surveillance audit is delayed beyond 15 months, the certificate is withdrawn and client deregistered. 

8.  Extension to the scope of registration

This may be applied for in the same way as the initial audit, indicating the increased scope of registration being required. Audit will be carried out in the areas not previously audited. If successful, a new certificate indicating the new full scope will be issued by ISOQAR Ltd.  There will be a charge for extensions to scope and re-issue of the certificates. 

9.  Short Notice Audits

ISOQAR may when necessary conduct short notice audits to investigate complaints, or in response to changes, or as follow up to suspended clients 

10. Reduction in scope of Certificates issued

            ISOQAR India shall wherever applicable reduce the scope of certification if during the time of routine surveillance audits / Re approval or Renewal audits it finds that the certified client has continually / seriously failed to meet the certification requirements for those parts of the scope of certification. The reduction in scope will be approved by the Chairman of Certification Committee.

11.  Publicity

Once a certificate has been issued, the client has the right to publish the fact.  The relevant logos can be used on its stationery relating only to the audited scope of registration and the relevant part of the standard.

12.  Certificate Misuse

ISOQAR Ltd will take all reasonable precautions to see that there is no misuse of their certificate in client advertising etc. The client undertakes to use certification marks as appropriate to its audited scope of registration and relevant Standards.

13.  Appeals Procedure

If for any reason a client is not in agreement with the Lead Auditor's verdict after an audit, re-audit or a surveillance visit, including suspension or withdrawal of a certificate, he/she is at liberty to lodge an appeal with the Managing Director of ISOQAR India Pvt. Ltd through mail or website .  All appeals will be held in the presence of an Appeal committee. The committee will hear evidence from the client's representative and the relevant Lead Auditor.  The decision of the committee is final and binding on both the client and ISOQAR Ltd.  No counter claims will be allowed by either party.  No costs, for whatever reason, will be allowed for either party as a result of an appeal.  Expenses of the Appeal will be met in full by the party who has the decision against them.

14.  Complaints against ISOQAR personnel

If a client has a complaint regarding any employee of ISOQAR Ltd, this should be sent through mail or website to the Managing Director of ISOQAR India Pvt. Ltd. at the Head Office address. If the complaint involves the MD then the complaint is to be addressed to the Board of Directors of ISOQAR India Pvt. Ltd. The complaint shall be handled as per ISOQAR’s defined complaint handling process.

15.  Complaints against ISOQAR certified clients

If any interested party has a complaint against ISOQAR certified client, this should be sent through mail or website to the Managing Director of ISOQAR India Pvt. Ltd. at the Head Office address. The complaint shall be handled as per ISOQAR’s defined complaint handling process.

16.  Liability

Neither ISOQAR Ltd nor any of its servants or agents warrants the accuracy of any audit, review, information, certification, service or advice supplied.  Except as stated in this document, neither ISOQAR Ltd nor any of its servants or agents shall be liable for any loss, expense or damage however so sustained by any company, client or person due to any act whatsoever taken by ISOQAR Ltd or its servants or agents, save to the extent that any attempted exclusion or liability would be contrary to law.

17.   ACCREDITATION BODY WITNESSED AUDITS

It is a condition of the rules of registration that all ISOQAR certificated clients should, if requested, allow, Accreditation Body  auditors to visit the client premises / witness ISOQAR staff carrying out their audits.  Failure to allow this could jeopardize the client’s registration.

1.     The Client facilities specified in the Certification Contract must have an effectively implemented and documented quality management system, which complies with the standard as specified in the Certification Agreement.

2.     Complete Internal audits followed by management reviews of the client’s quality management system should be carried out at least once in a year. At least one complete cycle of Internal Audit and Management review shall be completed before Certification Audit.

3.     All records pertaining to the implementation of the quality management system must be made available to authorized ISOQAR India personnel including records of external complaints and remedial actions taken.

4.     Access to all business and production areas must be made available to authorized ISOQAR India personnel to ensure an effective and efficient audit including all documentation relating to the quality management system for which Certification is being undertaken.

5.     A designated individual must be appointed by the Client to be responsible for ensuring that the quality management system requirements are observed.

6.     For any Management System the Client must comply with the Certification Program requirements, mandatory legal or regulatory requirements, statutory requirements which apply to the Client's production processes or services. The Client must maintain a manual register of regulatory requirements that are applicable and shall comply with the same.  In the event of Client (organization) conducting a violation of the legal / regulatory / statutory requirement, the client will inform ISOQAR on its own, proactively and voluntarily. In case a violation of legal / regulatory / statutory requirement is observed during the course of Certification (stage 2) and surveillance Audit, the audit team will notify the client’s management of the violation. The client shall ensure and provide evidence to ISOQAR that the appropriate authorities have been notified of the violation as per the prescribed procedures of the relevant authorities.

7.     All significant changes to the Client's organization, products, processes or services which may affect the Certification or compliance to the audited standard must be communicated to ISOQAR India. This may require ISOQAR India to undertake further Audit to review the impact of these changes on the Certification.

8.     The frequency and duration of surveillance visits may be increased if a significant number of non-conformances or complaints are reported.

9.     Original management system documentation held by the Client must be produced and made available to authorized ISOQAR India personnel at each visit.

10.   Appeals against any decision taken by ISOQAR India regarding the Client's Certification are covered by a documented appeals procedure which is available upon request.

11.   The Client must inform ISOQAR India of any significant non-conformances of which they are aware, through internal audit or other means.  The Client is responsible for the adoption of sound quality policies to maintain the reliability of their quality management system.  It should be understood that ISOQAR India is assessing the quality management system and is not in any way certifying the effectiveness of the quality of any product or service. The Client cannot use the Certification of its quality management system as "proof" that it offers quality products or services.

12.   If the Client's quality management system is registered by ISOQAR India, the Client is entitled to use the service mark of ISOQAR India in conjunction with the appropriate accreditation body logo subject to the logo conditions attached. The Client agrees not to misrepresent the Certification by ISOQAR India, nor to modify or alter the Certification certificate in any way, including ISOQAR India's logo. 

13.   If the Client fails to maintain compliance with the requirements for Certification, Certification may be suspended or withdrawn at the discretion of ISOQAR India. A copy of the suspension and cancellation procedure is available upon request. Upon suspension or cancellation of the Certification the client will discontinue all advertising matter and stationery that contain any reference to the Certification and on cancellation, will return all the Certification documents including the ISOQAR India and accreditation body logo material. 

14.   Client shall initiate actions against the non-conformities raised by ISOQAR for suspending the certification. He shall submit the evidences for actions taken to close out all the non-conformities raised. Failure to comply with the suspension conditions shall escalate the suspension to withdrawal / cancellation of certification.  

15.   The client management system must include a provision, which makes it clear to its customers when it is supplying goods / services not made under it.

16.   ISOQAR India cannot guarantee the same auditor for subsequent visits. The client can request in writing for change of auditors / team with appropriate reasons. The client must only claim that it is certified with respect to those activities for which it has been granted  certification.