Certification
AGM CERTIFICATION (AGMC) is committed to manage Impartiality Risks to ensure that the certification we deliver complies with all relevant parties’ standard requirements. AGMC proactively manages impartiality by:
1. Conducting familiar threat reviews at the beginning stage of certification process.
2. Employees of AGMC are prohibited from participating in the audit of any organization to which they have given assistance, by consultancy, internal audit or training (other than professionally registered auditor training), or where they have any financial or commercial interest for a minimum period of 2 years prior to the date of application of the organization for registration.
3. AGMC shall provide third party training where the training is related to generic information on auditing or management systems.
4. Employees of AGMC, no matter contracted or permanent, shall not disclose the or discuss any detail; before or after the audit; to any member of employee other than the direct management of AGMC or other members of the team, as required by the Secrecy Non-Disclosure Agreement signed on commencement of employment.
5. AGMC & its’ direct employees are prohibited from engaging in consultancy activities, which involve the active design, generation or implementation of a management system.
6. All employees of AGMC, no matter contracted or permanent, are required to declare any financial or business activities that may lead to potential conflict of interest on commencement and during the period of employment.
7. AGMC employees or contracted personnel shall not suggest or imply that certification would be made simper, easier or less expensive if consultancy or training services were used. In addition contract personnel / employees cannot offer consultancy or training services to AGMC clients that they have been assigned to audit during or after the assigned task has been completed for the period of 2 years or so.
8. All certificate decisions are made by competent personnel independent from the on-site audit process and have the unimpeachable authority to reject a certificate recommendation should they see fit.
9. The certification of companies who supply services to AGMC is not deemed as a threat to high risked threat to impartiality.
USE OF LOGO
CODE OF PRACTICE
These Codes of Practice have been written in accordance with the requirements of ISO 17021-1 and taking into consideration the advice of Accreditation Bodies, under whose approval AGMC certifies their clients.
AGMC provides independent audit and registration of management systems operated by companies against the requirements of the following relevant International Standards:
Quality Management – ISO 9001:2015 (QMS)
Environmental Management – ISO 14001: 2015 (EMS)
Information Security Management – ISO 27001:2013 (ISMS)
Food Safety Management – ISO 22000 (FSMS)
Occupational Health and Safety Management–ISO45001
Energy Management – ISO 50001
Business Continuity Management – ISO 22301
Anti-Bribery Management – ISO 37001
Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) – MS 1480
Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) – MS 1517
Any other Certification Standards & schemes that AGM
Certification may offer accredited certification for in the future. A full list of services can be obtained from AGMC’s website.
AGMC is responsible for ensuring that secrecy and confidentiality is maintained by its employees and its agents, concerning all information with which they may be acquainted as a result of their engagement with AGMC. All employees are governed under a Secrecy Non-Disclosure Agreement.
Where information is required to be disclosed to a third party, either by law or in maintenance of certification (e.g. Accreditation Bodies), the client shall be informed of the information provided as permitted by the law.
The basic conditions for acquiring and retaining certification with AGMC are that the applicant company agrees to, and complies with, the following procedures and rules:
The client shall make all necessary arrangements for the conduct of all audits including providing for examining documentation and the access to all processes and areas and records and personnel related to the declared scope of work to be certified in the Standard or Standards identified.
AGMC, if not satisfied that all the requirements for certification are being met, shall inform the applicant company of those aspects in which the applicant has failed to satisfy the requirements.
When the applicant company can show that corrective action has been taken, within a specified time limit, to meet all the requirements, AGMC will arrange to repeat only the necessary parts of the audit that cannot be verified by submission of documentary evidence.
If the applicant company fails to take corrective action within the specified time limit, it may be necessary for AGM Certification, at extra cost to the applicant company, to repeat the audit in full.
Identification of conformity shall refer only to the site or sites audited and shall apply to the worded scope appearing on the certificate.
Fees must be paid within the timescales stated on the proposal. Registration certificates will not be issued, following initial and re-audits, until fees have been paid in full. Additionally, Registration may be suspended or withdrawn if Surveillance fees are not paid in full.
In order for the registered company to demonstrate effective management reviews and internal audits these activities shall be carried at least once per year by the registered company.
Failure to return original registration certificates and schedules as described within these Codes of Practice shall result in legal action being taken against the company on the basis of unauthorized use of certification and accreditation marks and on the basis of inaccurate representation of certified status. (all cost will be billed to the client).
The applicant must allow AGM Certification to conduct on-going surveillance audits in line with the planned arrangements stated in the proposal.
Certified clients must only use the Certification Marks in accordance with the AGM Certification’ Use of Accreditation and Certification Marks
AGM Certification’ Accredited Offices are responsible for, and will retain authority for, decisions relating to accredited certification, including the granting, maintaining, renewing, extending, reducing, suspending and withdrawing of certification
A questionnaire will be sent to the potential client for the enquired standard or standards. Upon receive a completed questionnaire from the applicant company, a proposal outlining the Scope of Audit and costs will be submitted to the applicant company, together with this Codes of Practice. The client will be provided with the basis of the costs in terms of the man-days estimated as required for all stages of the overall 3-year period of certification. Once the proposal of cost is signed by the relevant senior management representative of the applicant company, accompanied by the necessary fee payment and associated documentation has been received by AGMC, the client will be allocated a job number and AGMC employee will proceed to schedule the audit according to AGMC’s procedures.
However, in certain circumstances AGM Certification may refuse to offer certification to an applicant company. These circumstances include, but are not limited to, the following instances:
- AGMC do not hold the necessary accreditation in the scheme required
- The applicant company is a registered laboratory for which ISO 17025 is applicable
- The applicant company fails to provide all required and necessary information to allow AGMC to accurately plan the 3-year certification programme
- The applicant company is not a legally registered entity in the country involved
All audits are based on sampling within a Management System and
are therefore not a guarantee of 100% conformity with standard requirements.
The audit of the applicant company’s management system shall be carried out in two stages:
Stage 1 (on-site, where applicable) – this is an audit to determine the state of readiness of the applicant’s management system against the criteria of the nominated International Standard and includes a review of the document management system.
Stage 2 (on-site) audit of the applicant company’s management system to ensure the practical system in operation complies with the documented system and with all elements of the nominated standard(s). If AGMC is not able to verify the implementation of corrections and corrective actions of any major nonconformity within 6 months after the last day of stage 2, AGMC will conduct another stage 2 prior to recommending certification.
All records produced for the implementation and operation of the appropriate management system shall be readily available for inspection by the auditor(s).
The applicant company shall ensure that AGMC are advised of the name of the Management Representative who has authority and responsibility for maintaining the QMS, EMS, ISMS, FSMS, OHSMS and etc (as appropriate). This individual shall be required to maintain contact with AGMC. Any change to this designated person must be confirmed to AGMC in writing.
When the responsible manager of AGMC is confident that the company meets all the requirements for certification, following a thorough review of the audit reports, the applicant shall be informed, and a Registration Certificate and Schedule issued. The Registration Certificate and Schedule shall remain the property of AGMC and shall not be copied or reproduced in colour, without the prior approval of a manager of AGMC. Permission is granted to produce mono/greyscale photocopies for the purpose of providing clients with evidence of registration.
A certificate holder has the right to publicise the fact that the
management system which it utilises has been certified and can apply the relevant marks to stationery and promotional material relating to the scope of certification as detailed on the certificate. The company may not apply the marks to their products or packaging. The regulations shown on the AGMC Use of Accreditation and Certification Marks must be adhered to.
In every case the company shall ensure that no confusion arises between certified and non-certified products/processes and activities in its publications and advertising. The company shall not make any claim that could mislead purchasers to believe that a product/process or activity is covered by certification when, in fact, it is not.
In addition, the certificate issued does not imply that the governing board or relevant government ministers of the country of
accreditation has approved the related product, processes, or services. The company shall ensure that this is not implied in any advertising.
A certified client shall not in all communication media such as internet, brochures, advertisement and/or other documents, make any misleading statement regarding its certification and use its certification in such a manner that brings AGMC (as the Certification Body) and/or the certification scheme into disrepute and cause loss of public trust.
Legal action will be taken against any misleading claims and/or misuse of Accreditation and Certification Marks.
AGM Certification will take all reasonable precautions to control the use of the certificates issued. Incorrect references to the scope of certificates or incorrect use of the certificate marks & claims found in advertising, catalogues, documentation etc shall be dealt with by suitable actions, which could include suspension or withdrawal of certificates, legal action and/or publication of the transgression.
Periodic surveillance visits shall be carried out following
notification of the intended visit and will cover aspects of the relevant management system at the discretion of the nominated auditor. The certificate holder shall allow AGMC the right of access for surveillance purposes whenever deemed necessary and AGMC shall reserve the right to make unannounced visits as required. The certificate holder will be informed of the results of all surveillances.
Surveillance visits must be conducted no later than 12 months after the previous audit. Any deviation to this must be requested, in writing to the certification manager.
The certificate holder shall maintain a register recording all customer complaints relating to the activities covered by the worded scope of operations on the certificate and make this available to AGMC upon request.
AGM Certification client companies will be subject to re-audit at the end of every three-year cycle. Three-months prior to the re- audit date a new proposal of costs will be raised covering the new three-year cycle.
Regardless of the frequency of the Surveillance routine, certification cycles are for a three-year period and a full re-audit will be required prior to the expiry date of the Registration Certificate and Schedule, in accordance with Accreditation Body requirements.
Failure to submit for audit prior to the expiry date will result in a s period during which the company’s registration will deem to have expired.
If you require an extension to the Scope of Registration, to cover
new products/processes/locations, you are required to complete and return a new questionnaire. This will allow AGM Certification to determine whether additional audit time is required to cover the changes required. The application procedure outlined in clause 6 of these Codes of Practice will be followed and an audit will be carried out on the areas not previously covered. The costs of extending the scope of the certificate will be based on the nature and programming of the audit required.
If you require a reduction of your Scope of Registration, it is mandatory that AGM Certification is advised immediately of changes in organisation or products i.e. closure of sites or removal of product previously supplied under original scope on certificate. Upon review and acceptance of the information, AGM Certification will notify if an additional audit, and also a change the worded scope, is required. The cost of this reduction in scope of the certificate will be based on the nature and programming of the audit if required or administration costs for a new certificate.
In both cases an amended certificate detailing those aspects of the company activities covered by the extension, will be issued following a successful audit (where applicable). The original certificate issued to the company will be returned to AGM Certification. The client is to ensure to amend all advertising matters, (where applicable) stationary matters.
The company shall inform AGM Certification in writing and without delay of any intended changes relating to the following:
- the legal, commercial, organisational status or ownership
- organisation and management
- contact address and sites
- scope of operations under the certified management system
(increases or reductions)
major changes to the management system and processes
occurrence of a serious OHS incident or breach of regulation necessitating the involvement of the competent regulatory authority
AGM Certification will determine whether the notified changes require any additional audit activity. Failure to notify AGM Certification may result in certificate suspension. Also, the company shall amend all advertising matter when the scope of certification has been reduced.
- A certificate may be suspended for a limited time in cases where:
Evidence of widespread failure to implement the Management System requirements for a period of time not less than 3 months
Failure to permit re-certification or surveillance audits to be conducted at the required frequencies
Falsification and/or fabrication of records of implementation
Failure to respond to Corrective Action Requests
Non-payment of certification fees owed to AGM Certification
Complaints having not been addressed in an appropriate
manner
Expiry of a certificate after the 3-year registration period has
elapsed
Request from the client for voluntary suspension
Any special visit due to the any serious incident and the involvement of the competent authorities. Based the result this may impact on certification, i.e. suspension or withdrawn
All costs associated with suspension and subsequent re- instatement of the certificate will be charged to the certificate holding company.
The company shall immediately cease to identify the coverage of any certificate under suspension. AGM Certification shall notify in writing an official suspension of certificate to the company, this notification will indicate the conditions that will allow removal of the suspension. At the end of the suspension period an investigation will be undertaken to determine whether the required conditions for removal of suspension have been followed. If the conditions have been satisfied the certificate will be re- instated, if the conditions have not been satisfied the certificate shall be withdrawn.
A certificate may be withdrawn in cases such as:
- if the company does not meet required conditions raised on suspension of certificate
The withdrawal of a certificate will be notified to the company in writing and the company does have the right of appeal against this decision. AGM Certification will not be liable for reimbursement of any audit fees paid and AGM Certification will publish the withdrawal of the certificate.
Reinstatement of ‘withdrawn’ certificates may require a full re- audit to be conducted and where appropriate, fees to be paid in advance.
Withdrawal of the certificate will require that all promotional materials endorsed with the AGM Certification logos must be withdrawn from use immediately and any use of accreditation marks on company publicity and stationery material will be in error and in contravention of the intellectual property rights of the owners of the marks.
A certificate may be cancelled in cases such as:
if the company does not wish to renew the certificate
if the company does not wish to continue the surveillance audit
if the company goes out of business
AGM Certification will not be liable to reimbursement of any audit fees paid and AGM Certification will publish notification of the cancellation of the certificate. Cancellation of the certificate will require that all promotional materials endorsed with the AGM Certification certification-logos must be withdrawn from use immediately and any use of accreditation marks on company publicity and stationary material will be in error and in contravention of the intellectual property rights of the owners of the marks.
Fees will be detailed in the proposal submitted to the applicant company. All costs are based on the charge rate applicable at the time of proposal and AGM Certification reserve the right to
increase charges during the certification period. Such increases will be notified to the client company in writing.
Once application is made, the company is liable for the first-year fees, regardless of whether the company progresses to registration, as costs will already have been incurred.
For subsequent three-year registration cycles a new proposal of cost shall be prepared three months prior to the three-year re- audit due date with an accompanying invoice and application.
Once application is made, the company is then committed to payment of the first-year fees of the subsequent three-year cycle.
Additional fees will be charged for additional work not included in the scope of the original proposal and for any extra, unscheduled, surveillance visits required due to non-compliances being identified in the continuing adequacy and/or implementation of the relevant management system.
All fees quoted shall exclude travel and accommodation expenses associated with the audit/surveillance activities (unless otherwise specified in the proposal of cost) and this will be charged extra, at cost.
All fees are subject to local taxes in the country concerned at the appropriate rates.
n the event of certificate withdrawal or the failure to recommend and approve a client company for registration, the company has the right of appeal on this decision. if the company indicates their lack of acceptance of the audit team findings, then they should refer to the “Appeals and Complaint Information section”, provided within the AGM Certification report, which details procedure for submitting a formal appeal. This also details your right to dispute the appeal committee member appointments.
AGM Certification must receive notification of the intent to appeal within seven days of the company’s receipt of the withdrawal notice from AGM Certification, or the failure to recommend for registration. The company must submit a formal, documented, substantiation for the appeal, together with any supportive documentation/ information, to AGM Certification within fourteen days of the receipt of the withdrawal notice or the failure to recommend for registration.
All client company appeals will be initially reviewed by the office certification manager and the AGM Certification audit staff responsible for the recommendation to withdraw the certificate or decision not to recommend for registration – who must provide evidence to support their recommendation. Should the office manager reject the appeal then it will be forwarded to the Certification Manager who, if they concur, must then forward it to the AGM Certification CEO for appraisal. Should the CEO concur with the certification manager’s findings then the appeals committee, drawn from the independent members of the governing council shall consider the appeal.
The appealing company will be advised of the names of the governing council appeals committee that will review their appeal and the company has the right to dispute the members of the appeals committee by formal notification of their dispute. This dispute will be reviewed by the chairman of the council or, if the chairman is a member of the appeals committee, by the vice- chairman. The result of the governing council appeals committee review will be notified to the company.
The decision of the governing committee is final and shall be binding on both parties. Once the decision on the appeal has been made no counter claim by either party can be made to amend or change the decision.
In instances where the client company’s appeal has been successful, and the certificate is re-issued (in the case of withdrawal) or the recommendation for registration goes forward, no claim can be made against AGM Certification for reimbursement of costs or any other losses incurred as a result of the initial withdrawal or failure to recommend.
Submission, investigation and decision on appeals shall not result in any discriminatory actions against the appellant
Registered companies are required to keep a record of all complaints from clients, users of their products or the general public, including subsequent remedial actions to their management system. AGM Certification will review these records during surveillancevisits.
Should a client company have any reason to complain regarding the conduct of AGM Certification employees, then the complaint should be made in writing to the AGM Certification office. Complaints may also be directed to the AGM Certification’s Certification Manager; the address can be obtained from office staff.
Complainants will receive an acknowledgment of receipt immediately and the complaint will be investigated and decided upon within a maximum of 30 days from initial receipt.
Should AGM Certification receive a complaint, indicating that a certified client no longer complies with AGM Certification requirements, then it may be necessary to either initiate withdrawal of certification, or conduct either a full re audit of the client, or an unscheduled short notice audit related to the apparent causeofcomplaintatextracosttotheclient.
All certified clients shall make available, when requested, records of all complaints and corrective actions taken, in accordance with the management system standards or other normative documents.
A directory of all companies certified by AGM Certification is maintained within the office. This is published and made available upon request to both certified and non-certified companies and members of the public.
In accordance with ISO/IEC 17000, AGM Certification clients shall,
where the accreditation body so nominates a need to, accept the presence of officers of the Accreditation Body attending an audit to be conducted by AGM Certification, in order to allow those officers the ability to review the activities and conduct of AGM Certification personnel. Attendance by accreditation officers shall in no way affect the certification decision making process of the AGM Certification Lead Auditor. This requirement to allow access is to be applied to all new and existing clients. Should the client refuses the accreditation body witnessing visit, AGM Certification shall withdraw the accredited certificate of the client.
Guides are individuals representing the client who are tasked or responsible in escorting and facilitating the audit team through the entire audit. Similarly, a guide can not interfere or unduly influence the process or the outcome of the audit. The responsibilities of the guide can include following:
- Establishing contacts and timing for interviews,
- Arranging visits to specific parts of the site or organization,
- Ensuring that rules concerning site safety and security procedures are known and respected by the audit team members,
- Witnessing the audit on behalf of the client, and or,
- Providing clarification or information as requested by the auditor.
AGM Certification auditors carry out an inspection for conformity against an international standard, which in respect of the time allocated can only be considered as a snapshot of the activities of the auditee and not an exhaustive evaluation. At no point does AGM Certification hold itself up, purport or profess to be a regulatory authority or expert consultants within the areas audited and can only operate within the general working knowledge of the field involved as defined by the scope of activity. AGM Certification holds itself removed from any responsibility or liability to the auditee for any implications or actions resulting from legislative/regulatory non-compliance on behalf of the auditee including any actions taken subsequent to the audit resulting in legalorfinancialfailuresoftheauditee.
AGM Certification reserve the right to amend these Codes of Practice at any time. Only companies who have entered into certification agreements with AGM Certification will be updated of these changes