ISO Accredited Certification Body

Appeals & Complaint Handling

Appeal

An applicant, a certified company or any interested party may appeal against a decision of Accurate ISO Ireland. The matter is referred to the Appeals Panel of AGI (Which is constituted from any two members of the Impartiality Committee) whose decision is final. This Procedure is also publicly available on AGI website.

AGI is responsible for gathering and verifying all necessary information to validate the Appeal. AGI also ensure that the submission, investigation and decision of an appeal shall not result in any discriminatory actions against the appellant.

Appeal process to receive , evaluate and make decision on appeal


1. Any aggrieved party can file the appeal with in 30 days against the decision of AGI by giving a notice or by mail to AGI.
2. The Certification Manager (CM) will acknowledge the receipt of the appeal and the same shall be entered in the Appeal register (refer F58). The CM will gather and verify all necessary information to validate the Appeal.
3. The Appeal shall be forwarded to the Appeal panel for investigation. The Appeal panel shall consider any precedence based on similar previous appeals.
4. The Appeal panel can request information from the aggrieved party and from the AGI office and both of the parties are bound to furnish the information within time limit as provided by the Appeal panel.
5. AGI will provide the information to the appellant about progress and actions undertaken to resolve the Appeal and assurance as to appropriate correction and corrective action taken. All information shall be recorded in the Appeal register.
6. AGI shall formally notify the appellant of the Appeal panel decision and when the Appeal handling process is complete.
7 .The whole process of Appeal shall be finished with 60 days of the filing the Appeal. In case delay then AGI shall justify the delay.

Complaints

AGI is responsible for all decisions at all levels of the complaints handling process. Any complaint received by AGI in writing or by e-mail or telephone in respect of its functions as a certification body or a company certified by it, shall be fully reviewed by the Audit Manager and shall be recorded in the complaint register together with details as to the nature of the complaint. Submission, investigation and decision on complaints shall not result in any discriminatory actions against the complainant. The tracking and recording of complaints, including actions undertaken in response to them is maintained by CM (Refer F59).

If a valid complaint relates to the certified client:
a) The CM must ensure that the effectiveness of the certified management system is checked by competent auditor(s), who were not involved with the client previously.
b) The letter in question is sent to certified client within 30 days of receiving of complaint and recorded in the complaint register. The tracking and recording complaints, including actions undertaken in response to them is maintained by CM (Refer F59).
If the complaint pertains to certified client management system:
a) The CM ensures that the effectiveness of the certified management system is checked by competent auditor(s)/person(s) who were not involved with the client previously.
b) The concerned auditors may be summoned to confirm the facts if it relates to certification activity.
c) After root cause analysis, measures to eliminate the cause of the complaint shall be arrived at and suitable corrective and preventive measures instituted.
d) If the complaint is against an officer of AGI including the CM then it will be investigated by the Chairman of the Impartiality Committee.
e) The complaint shall be closed within 60 days of the receiving of the complaint.

The CM will:
a) Verify the promptness and effectiveness of the actions. Taken in respect of the complaint received to ensure its prompt disposal.
b) Ensure that the complainant is advised of the result of the investigation within 60 days of the receipt of the complaint.
c) All complaints, after redress & disposal, shall be closed through a closing note and closing call by the CM. Where applicable, certification will be restored as quickly as possible.
d) Ensure that any appropriate correction and corrective actions are taken and also suitable preventive action is taken to avoid recurrence of such cases.
e) Ensure that effectiveness of the measures adopted are covered during the Management Review Meeting
f) The entire process to be followed meets the requirement of confidentiality as it relates to the complaint and to the subject of the complaint. The complaints are recorded in the complaint register.
g) Gather and verify all necessary information to validate the complaint.
h) Ensures that the acknowledgement of receipt of the complaint is sent to the complainant and the complainant is informed about the progress and outcome of the result in writing every month till its closure.
i) Ensures that the decision communicated to the complainant is made, reviewed and approved by the individual(s) not previously involved in the subject of the complaint.
j) Give formal notice of the end of the complaints-handling process to the complainant.
k) Ensures with the client and the complainant the extent to which the complaint may be made publicly available.
Ensure that the complaint has been closed within the 60 days of the receiving of the complaints. In cases were the Complainant is not satisfied with the decision of the AGI, then complainant can make an Appeal or can escalate the complaint to UAB.