Certification process
Suspension, withdrawal & appeals
Certification can be restricted, and when it is you are entitled to know exactly why and to challenge the decision. Both the grounds and the appeal route are published here.
Grounds
When certification is restricted
Suspension is temporary and reversible. Withdrawal ends the certification. In both cases the decision is made against published criteria, communicated in writing with reasons, and appealable.
Temporary — certification is paused
During suspension the certificate is invalid, must not be referred to, and the certification mark must not be used. The public directory shows the suspended status. Certification is reinstated once the underlying issue is resolved and verified.
- Failure to close a major nonconformity within the required period
- Failure to permit a surveillance or recertification audit at the required frequency
- Persistent or serious failure to meet certification requirements
- Misuse of the certification mark or misleading reference to certification status
- Failure to notify significant changes affecting the certified system
- Voluntary request by the client, for example during a temporary suspension of operations
Permanent — certification ends
On withdrawal the certificate is cancelled, all use of the certification mark and any reference to certification must cease immediately, and the entry is removed from the certified-client directory. Re-certification requires a full initial certification audit.
- Failure to resolve the issues that caused a suspension within the permitted period
- A demonstrated fundamental failure of the management system
- Provision of false or deliberately misleading information to GMSCPL
- Cessation of the certified activity or dissolution of the certified legal entity
- Non-payment of fees after due notice
- Client request for voluntary withdrawal
Scope reduction — the middle option
Where a client persistently fails to meet requirements for only part of the certified scope, the proportionate response is to reduce the scope rather than suspend the whole certificate. We use this where it is the right answer, because withdrawing certification for activities that genuinely conform serves nobody.
Your right of appeal
How to appeal a decision
Any certification decision, finding, suspension or withdrawal can be appealed. Submitting an appeal costs nothing and will never be treated as a reason to disadvantage you.
- 01
Submit the appeal
Within 30 days
Appeals against a certification decision, a finding, a suspension or a withdrawal must be submitted in writing within 30 days of the decision, stating the grounds and enclosing supporting evidence.
- 02
Acknowledgement and registration
3 working days
We acknowledge receipt within 3 working days, register the appeal and confirm the process and expected timeline to you in writing.
- 03
Independent review
15–30 days
The appeal is investigated by personnel who were not involved in the decision being appealed. Where the matter concerns a certification decision, the review is referred to the impartiality committee.
- 04
Decision and notification
Within 45 days total
A written decision with reasons is issued. If the appeal is upheld, the original decision is reversed or amended and any consequent corrective action within GMSCPL is recorded.
Submitting an appeal
Appeals must be in writing, within 30 days of the decision, and must state the grounds and enclose any supporting evidence. Send them to admin@gmscpl.com marked for the attention of the Technical Manager.
Who reviews it
Appeals are investigated by personnel who were not involved in the decision being appealed. Where the appeal concerns a certification decision, it is referred to the impartiality committee, which includes members independent of GMSCPL management. The people who made the original decision have no part in reviewing it.
If you remain dissatisfied
You may escalate to our accreditation body. We will provide their contact details on request, and escalating will not affect how we handle your certification. A certification body that discouraged escalation would be demonstrating exactly the problem the escalation route exists to catch.
Timeframes
- To submitWithin 30 daysof the decision being appealed
- Acknowledgement3 working dayswith the process confirmed in writing
- DecisionWithin 45 daysin writing, with reasons
The full procedure is available as a document on our downloads page.
Something else?
Complaints are handled separately
If your concern is about our conduct, our auditors, or a certified client rather than a decision made about your own certification, use the complaints route instead.