ISO Accredited Certification Body

Certification Process

ISO Certification Process

The Certification process shall consist of the following key stages

1. Application

2. Proposal and quotation

3. Initial Certification Audit (stage-1 audit)

4. Assessment (stage-2 audit)

5. Award of Certificate

6. Continual assessment (surveillance audit)

7. Recertification.

1. Application :

Enquiries may be received in several forms, by telephone, letter, e-mail or via online application. All applicants are required to complete and return a copy of the application form. Application forms may be request by email info@accurateisoireland.ie 

2. Application Review :

On receipt all applications shall be reviewed by the Certification Manager for completeness and accuracy. Once accepted, a quotation and contract shall be issued to the client for review and acceptance. Accurate ISO Ireland shall strive in so far as possible to provide the best possible solution at the most competitive cost. 

3. Initial Certification Audit (Stage I & Stage II) :

A. Stage 1 audit

Accurate ISO Ireland shall proceed with the Initial Certification Audit (Stage-1) audit activity based the agreed contract. 

Clients have the option of a pre-assessment to assess the clients management systems readiness for Certification before the Certification audit. The  pre-assessment is designed to ensure a successful outcome by identifying any deficiencies in the compliance of the documented quality system with the requirements of the certification standards, for corrective actions to be taken in advance of the certification audit. 

A detailed report shall be prepared by the Lead Auditor and a copy shall be given to the client. The report shall be evaluated by Audit Manager and plan for the subsequent audits of the organization is discussed with the client.

B. Stage 2 audit

The purpose of this Assessment (STAGE-2) is to ensure that the requirements of relevant ISO standards as addressed by the documented quality system are being complied with. The Auditors will look for objective evidence of compliance with the standards. Non compliances are brought to the attention of the client and noted on a report form. At the end of assessment, these are discussed and the company's management representative is asked to sign the report acknowledging that s/he understands and accepts the findings.

The Assessment is concluded with a "Closing Meeting" at which the Lead Auditor presents the findings and makes a recommendations, either for certification to the applicable standards of ISO. In the case of major non-conformance having been identified, a a verification audit may be required. 2.5.3 In case where non-compliances are of a minor nature, certification is recommended subject to a corrective action plan that addresses the non compliances and observations raised in the report being submitted together with objective evidences for all non compliances within 60 days. When this corrective action plan and the objective evidences are received at Accurate ISO Ireland office, the audit reports shall be verified for conformance against the requirements of the certification standard. The client's file is is subject to Technical review to ensure an independent verification of compliance against certification checklist, before certification is granted.

The stage 2 audit shall take place at the site(s) of the client. It shall include at least the following :

  1. Information and evidence about conformity to all requirements of the applicable management system standard or other normative document;
  2. Performance monitoring, measuring, reporting and reviewing against key performance objectives and targets (consistent with the expectations in the applicable management system standard or other normative document)
  3. The client's management system and performance as regards legal compliance; 
  4. Operational control of the client's processes;
  5. Internal auditing and management review;
  6. Management responsibility for the client's policies;
  7. Links between the normative requirements, policy, performance objectives and targets (consistent with the expectations in the applicable management system standard or other normative document), any applicable legal requirements, responsibilities, competence of personnel, operations, procedures, performance data and internal audit findings and conclusions.

Each certified organization shall be required to undergo a surveillance audit at least once a year during the term of validity of its certification. The continual conformance of the organization management system with the certification standard shall be verified by auditing selected elements of the management system at each visit besides verification of the effectiveness of the corrective actions against the non-conformities raised during the previous audit.

Lead Auditors are required to complete Audit Report in a precise and accurate manner. The justification for non inclusion of any element as per the ISO standards e.g. Design, etc from the company's quality system should be carefully verified and recorded in the Report.

Information for granting initial certification

The information provided by the audit team to AGI for the certification decision shall be as per AGI procedure shall include, as a minimum,

  1. the audit reports,
  2. comments on the nonconformities and, where applicable, the correction and corrective actions taken by the client,
  3. confirmation of the information provided to AGI used in the application review , and
  4. a recommendation whether or not to grant certification, together with any conditions or observations.

AGI shall make the certification decision on the basis of an evaluation of the audit findings and conclusions and any other relevant information (e.g. public information, comments on the audit report from the client).

The audit team/Audit Manager shall analyse all information and audit evidence gathered during the stage 1 and stage 2 audits to review the audit findings and agree on the audit conclusions.

QC shall issue the certificate as per procedure

5. Surveillance audits

Surveillance audits are on-site audits, but are not necessarily full system audits. Surveillance audits are planned together with other surveillance activities so that the certification body can maintain confidence that the certified management system continues to fulfil requirements between recertification audits. The surveillance audits are conducted at least once a year and the date of the first surveillance audit following initial certification shall not be more than 12 months from the last day of the stage 2 audit.

The objective of surveillance audit is to:

  • Ensure that the client's management system which was the basis of the granting of the certificate has been maintained on continuous basis.
  • Verify and ensure that any changes to management system which might have taken place since last audit meet the requirement of the standard/ specification and implemented effectively.
  • Ensure on-site internal audits assess the certified client's management system's fulfilment of specified requirements with respect to the standard to which the certification is granted.
  • Ensure that the management system continues to be appropriate to the product/ process/ service offered by client, with the capability of managing and improving performance.
  • Assess continual improvement in client's management systems

6. Recertification Audit

There shall be recertification after every 3 years of certification. The re-certification audit shall be completed, preferably prior to one month of expiry of the present certificate of registration including the provision of adequate time to close any NCRs