Certification Procedure

▷ (Inquiry) : The overall process for the certification audit
▷ (Proposal) : After review a standards, scope, No employees, Will send the certification proposal about audit days and costs.
▷ (Certification Guide Dispatch) : Shall inform prospective clients of certification procedure and requirements related with certification issuing through Certification Guide.
▷ (Certification application, Contract) : After receipt of the application and contract agreement will be signed. After the signing of the contract, each requirement between clients and Shall be met reviewing certification contract and clients requests.
▷ (Establishing the Audit Plan, Audit team) : Audit planner composes the audit team according to “3.3 Audit Team Composition” after reviewing the audit scope, the schedule, the auditor’s competence.
▷ (Audit) : The stage 1 audit shall be performed to audit the client’s management system documentation. The purpose of the stage 2 audit is to evaluate the implementation, including effectiveness, of the client’s management system. The stage 2 audit shall take place at the site(s) of the client.
▷ Shall provide one copy of each audit report in relation to each Client to UCOC Co., Ltd.
▷ (Verification) : UCOC Co., Ltd. shall provide The Franchise with its decision or comments regarding the eligibility of each UCOC Co., Ltd. Client for Certification in writing after receiving the audit report regarding that client.
▷ (Surveillance Audit) : 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. Shall provide one copy of each surveillance report in relation to each client to UCOC Co., Ltd.
▷ (Verification) : UCOC Co., Ltd. shall provide The Franchise with its decision or comments regarding the eligibility of each UCOC Co., Ltd. Client for continuing Certification in writing after receiving the surveillance report regarding that client.
▷ (Re-certification Audit) : A Re-certification audit shall be conducted in every 3 years and shall be audited within the valid date of certification.

Suspending, withdrawing, or reducing the scope of certification & Refusing

1. Suspending, withdrawing, or reducing the scope of certification

• Withdrawal

An organization that wishes to withdraw from any certification scheme is required to write to the management department informing of its intention. The organization shall within a reasonable timeframe ensure that all advertising matters that contain any reference to the certificate are discontinued.

• Suspension

UCOC shall suspend the certification of the organization under the following circumstances:

the certified organization’s management system has persistently or seriously failed to meet certification requirements, including requirements for the effectiveness of the management systems, the certified organization does not allow Surveillance or Recertification audits to be conducted at the required frequencies, the certified organization has voluntarily requested suspension of its certification, the certified organization fails to take corrective actions for non-conformity(ies) raised within the specified timeframe, the certified organization has incorrectly made references to its certification status or misleading use of certificate, marks, or audit reports. the certified organization infringed the requirements of the certification contract.

The organization whose certification is suspended is required to take the necessary corrective action before the end of the suspension period. Failure to resolve the issues satisfactorily will result in withdrawal of certification. The organization may appeal if it is dissatisfied with the decision to suspend or withdraw the certificate.

2. Expanding and reducing the scope of certification

Reducing the scope of certification

Failure to resolve the issues that have resulted in the suspension in a time established by the certification body shall result in withdrawal or reduction of the scope of certification.

UCOC body shall reduce the scope of certification to exclude the parts not meeting the requirements, when the certified client has persistently or seriously failed to meet the certification requirements for those parts of the scope of certification. Any such reduction shall be in line with the requirements of the standard used for certification.

Under suspension, the client’s management system certification is temporarily invalid.

Expanding the scope of certification

UCOC shall, in response to an application for expanding the scope of a certification already granted, undertake a review of the application and determine any audit activities necessary to decide whether or not the extension may be granted. Any such reduction shall be in line with the requirements of the standard used for certification.

3. Refusing

Following the review of the application, the UCOC shall either accept or decline an application for certification. When the UCOC declines an application for certification as a result of the review of the application, the reasons for declining an application shall be documented and made clear to the client.