Confidentiality and impartiality for system certification:
The requirements of confidentiality, impartiality, objectivity and ethical guidelines for Dovre Certification AS,
as an accredited certification body, is defined in the Dovre Certification AS quality policy and management system and are available on request.
The company’s management will in this context clarify that confidentiality, impartiality, objectivity and
ethics are absolute rules that should always be followed by Dovre Certification AS and our auditors and lead auditor.
Dealing with complaints
Upon receipt of written complaints to Dovre Certification AS a confirmation of receipt of the complaint as well as confirmation whether the complaint is related to a certification task carried out by Dovre Certification AS or complain about the management system at a customer site that Dovre AS has certified will be sent to the customer. “The petitioner” will be kept updated about the measures that Dovre Certification AS is conducting.
Measures can be visit/audit at the customer site to ensure that the control system satisfies the relevant requirements from the current standard (ISO 9001/ISO 14001/OHSAS 18001) or clarifications with the lead auditor that was responsible for the certification task carried out by Dovre Certification AS.
Decisions taken by the Administration of Dovre Certification AS in connection with the complaint should always be approved by a member of the Administration that has not participated in the complaint proceedings. In cases where the whole management has been involved the Chair of the Board has to approve the decision before the decision is communicated to customer or whoever has complained.
The extent to which the results of complaint proceedings should be made publicly should clarified and agreed with the customer and whoever has complained.
The customer may appeal decisions that are taken. In the cases referred to the procedure for the appeal.
Handling of appeals
The administration in Dovre certification AS receives appeal from the customer. The appeal should then be forwarded to the Chair of the Board for processing. The administration in Dovre Certification should inform the customer that the appeal is sent to the Board for processing.
The appeal is handled fully and completely by the Board, and decision is sent to the administration in Dovre Certification AS with a copy to the customer. The administration in Dovre certification AS has the duty to carry out the measures that the Board, where appropriate, imposes on the administration to ensure that appropriate corrective action is taken.
The administration in Dovre Certification AS will establish a list of complaints, with copies of all correspondence between the customer and the Board, as well as the Board and the administration in Dovre Certification AS in connection with the appeal proceedings.
Appeals are to be processed by management within 30 working days.
If consensus is not achieved the customer has the opportunity to bring the case in arbitration.