Termination, Reduction, Suspension or Withdrawal of Certification
Get insights on certification status changes, including termination, reduction, suspension, or withdrawal.
THE Q reserves the right to suspend or withdraw the Certificate of Conformity/ Compliance at any time. The Certificate may be suspended should the Company:
- Failure to complete corrective actions within the agreed time;
- Misuse the Certification mark;
- Failure to comply with the financial requirements of the Agreement entered with THE Q (Non-payment of any of certification fees) or Bring THE Q into disrepute in any way.
- The client’s certified management system has persistently or seriously failed to meet certification requirements, including requirements for the effectiveness of the quality management system”
- The certified client does not allow surveillance or re-certification audits to be conducted at the required and agreed surveillance frequencies.
- The certified client has voluntarily requested a suspension
Reasonable period of time (Usually THE Q gives 90 days to make the correction needed, unless for a critical non-conformity timeline will be minimized), and explaining that their registration may be suspended until the corrective action is completed.
Should the necessary corrective action not be taken within the agreed period, then a further letter will be sent to the client company, informing them that their registration is suspended and another very limited time (30 days) will be given to client as a final chance to restore the certificate suspension by performing the corrective actions needed.
Whenever certification is suspended, THE Q Head of Sales and Marketing Department will communicate the actions needed to end suspension and restore certification for the client certified product in accordance with THE Q Rules of certification and the scheme of certification, these actions depends on the defect that is committed by client and that lead to the suspension of the certificate.
THE Q Head of Sales and Marketing Department will make sure client understands the reason of suspension and the actions that need to be done to reverse the suspension decision.
In such cases the client will be asked to stop claiming that their organization is certified by THE Q, and withdraw from use any letterheads, business cards, etc. that indicate THE Q certification validity.
Once client takes measurements needed for restoring certification, client shall bring to THE Q Knowledge by informing THE Q Head of Sales and Marketing Department with the actions and measurements taken by client (through any accessible means to THE Q with providing the corrective actions taken in this regard.
Head of Sales and Marketing Department in return will transfer the request with supportive evidence to THE Q Conformity Manager to follow the same certification plan adopted by THE Q (evaluation, review, decision) needed to resolve the suspension, similar to the core certification process, Conformity Manager will make the final recommendation and transfer the request to the managing director who will take the final decision to restore certification, keep suspension, or withdraw certification.
The conditions for certification reinstatement may include:
- Re-verification of management systems effectiveness through on-site audit.
- Re-testing of the Product
- Discontinuation of misleading stationery and other advertising material.
- Removal of other reasons responsible for suspension of the certificate.
If the client does still not complete the corrective action the further agreed final time, then a further letter will be sent by THE Q Head of Sales and Marketing Department detailing the fact that their registration with THE Q is withdrawn. Such withdrawal of certification will be published on the web site of THE Q to make note of the withdrawal. A request that the Client to return the certificate and discontinue the use of the certification mark in any way, as Certificates and marks of compliance remain the property of THE Q.
If certification is reinstated after suspension, THE Q shall make all necessary modifications to formal certification documents, public information, authorizations for use of marks, etc., in order to ensure all appropriate indications, exist that the product continues to be certified.
If a decision to reduce the scope of certification is made as a condition of reinstatement, THE Q shall make all necessary modifications to formal certification documents, public information, authorizations for use of marks, etc., in order to ensure the reduced scope of certification is clearly communicated to the client and clearly specified in certification documentation and public information.
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