Certification process
Grievance & complaints handling
Anyone may raise a complaint — a client, a customer of a client, an employee, a regulator or a member of the public. You do not need a relationship with us to be heard.
What you can complain about
Three kinds of complaint, one process
All three are registered, investigated and closed out in writing. The third is the one people hesitate over, and it is the one we most want to hear.
About GMSCPL
Our processes, our administration, our communication, our invoicing, or any aspect of how we have handled your certification.
About our personnel
The conduct, competence or impartiality of an auditor, technical expert or member of staff on any engagement.
About a certified client
Where you believe an organisation holding a GMSCPL certificate is not operating the management system we certified, or is misusing our mark.
How it is handled
What happens after you write to us
Complaints are investigated by personnel independent of the subject matter. A complaint about an auditor is never investigated by that auditor.
- 01
Raise the complaint
Any time
Complaints may concern GMSCPL, our personnel, our processes, or the certified management system of one of our clients. Submit in writing with sufficient detail to allow investigation.
- 02
Acknowledgement
3 working days
We acknowledge within 3 working days and confirm whether the complaint relates to a certification activity for which we are responsible.
- 03
Investigation
15–30 days
Complaints about a certified client are referred to that client for response and are considered at their next audit where relevant. Complaints about GMSCPL are investigated by personnel independent of the subject matter.
- 04
Resolution and closure
Within 45 days
The outcome is communicated in writing. Where the complaint is substantiated, corrective action is taken and recorded. Complainant identity is protected unless disclosure is necessary and consented to.
Our commitments
How we treat a complaint
We treat a complaint about a certified client seriously: if a certified organisation is not operating the system we certified, that is a problem with our certificate as much as with their system.
Complaints and their resolution are reviewed as inputs to our own management review and to auditor evaluation.
If you are not satisfied with our handling of a complaint, you may escalate to our accreditation body. We will provide their contact details on request and will not treat escalation as a reason to disadvantage you.
Confidentiality
Your identity is protected. We disclose it only where investigation genuinely requires it, and only with your consent. If you would prefer to complain about a certified client without your name reaching them, say so and we will handle it that way.
Prefer email or post?
- Emailadmin@gmscpl.com
- Phone+91-XXXXXXXXXXMon – Sat, 9:30 AM – 6:30 PM IST
The full appeals and complaints procedure is available on our downloads page.
Appealing a decision instead?
Decisions about your own certification
If you want to challenge a finding, a certification decision, a suspension or a withdrawal affecting your organisation, that is an appeal rather than a complaint — and it has its own process.