Appeal: a request to review or reverse a decision taken

Complaint: expression of dissatisfaction made to an organization, related to its products or services or personnel or the complaints-handling process itself.

This document covers the actions taken when an appeal or complaint is made against the certification body, its personnel, decisions of the certification body and its personnel and its processes.   This procedure applies to all the management system audit and certification processes. This process is expected to be consistent across all management system standards, unless indicated otherwise.

Procedure

Since the action to respond to an appeal or complaint remains the same the procedure would address these terms in combination.

1. The policy for handling appeals and complaints: ]

The guiding principles on which the process is developed, are Visibility, Accessibility, Responsiveness, Objectivity, Charges, Confidentiality, Customer-focussed approach, Accountability, and Continual improvement.

Policy

The appeals and complaint handling policy:

We shall put our best efforts to address and resolve the appeals and complaints from our clients and interested parties. Adequate transparency shall be maintained without compromising confidentiality.  that the appeals and complaint arising from the activities of service delivery. We shall take customer focussed approach, be objective, be impartial and be accountable to the process of resolution of appeals and complaints. We shall ensure to remain in compliance to the local laws and regulations with respect to this process. We shall be available for access at the highest level for making the appeals and complaints. Through the process of analysis and review we will continue to improve the appeals and complaints handling process. No charges shall be levied to the clients who has made the appeal / complaint.

2. Communication

Complaints handling process shall be made available to those interested parties desiring to appeal/complaint.  A contact address is made available on the website to make a request for the process and to make an appeal / complaint.

3. Responsibility and authority

Scheme manager is accountable to ensure that the appeals/complaints received as processed without delay. Appeals/complaints which cannot be resolved by the Scheme manager or the head of certification shall be assigned to the impartiality committee for resolution. Appeals/complaints received shall be periodically reviewed by the impartiality committee.

4. Receipt of appeals/complaints

Appeals/complaints can be received at any point of contact. The same will be transferred to the scheme manager immediately. The appeal/complaint shall be recorded by the admin personnel and a tracking ID shall be generated. The record of appeal/complaint shall include the appellant/complainant details, details of the complaint with evidence available (if any), requested remedy, the due date for a response, and other relevant details adequate to handle the complaint. An appeal/complaint folder is created at this stage.

5. Tracking of appeals/complaints

The tracking ID shall be used to track the status of the complaint through the entire process of registration to disposal and closure. The status shall be made available when requested by the appellant/complainant.

6.  Acknowledgement of complaint

The receipt of the appeal/complaint shall be done immediately using appropriate means.

7. Initial assessment

An initial assessment shall be carried out by the scheme manager to assess the severity, implications, complexity, impact on the appellant/complainant and the certification body, and extent of the urgency of action required.

8. Investigation

The evidence given and the other circumstances surrounding the appeal/complaint shall be made to the extent possible.  The level of investigation shall be commensurate with the seriousness, frequency of occurrence, and severity of the appeal/complaint.

9. Response to appeal/complaint

Investigation results are v=reviewed to c=verify the need for any immediate remedial action required. If required, corrective action shall be initiated within appropriate timelines in proportion to the extent of the impact.

10. Communicating the decision

The decision taken on the resolution of the appeal /complaint shall be communicated to the personnel involved by the scheme manager concerned.

11. Closing the complaint

If the appellant /complainant accepts the decision or resolution, the same shall be recorded and the decision or resolution action shall be initiated. In the event that the decision or resolution is not acceptable, an appropriate alternate source of resolution (internal or external) shall be indicated. The appeal/complaint shall remain open. The progress of the appeal/complaint shall be continued until closure.

 

The following information may be sent to our contact for registration and further action. Senior management personnel can be contacted if there is any

Appeal/Complaint

Appeal: a request to review or reverse a decision taken

Complaint: expression of dissatisfaction made to an organization, related to its products or services or personnel or the complaints-handling process itself.

Tracking ID		Received on
Submitted by: Name and address
Contact details (person, email, telephone, other)
Area of appeal/ complaint
Scheme
Details of the appeal/complaint
Details of evidence submitted
Remedy requested
Name and signature