Certification Roadmap
Application & Planning
Upon application, you’ll be advised of the Client Manager who will facilitate your Readiness Review and Certification Audit. You will be provided with a self evaluation which needs to be completed and returned to SAI Global, with supporting information, at least two weeks prior to your Stage 1 Audit. Your Client Manager can also provide valuable ongoing assistance. This helps ensure your management system adds value to your business operations and becomes an effective mechanism for continuous improvement.
It is important to understand that the details which you provided to SAI Global for the preparation of the quotation need to be continually reviewed. If your business has changed, e.g. Address, number of staff, or activities have been re-allocated, this may impact upon the quotation. If changes to your business have occurred and we are not informed this could result in the audit conducted being made invalid by our certification authority.
Stage 1 Audit
Readiness Review required for each site.
The Stage 1 Audit will provide management and staff with the opportunity to discuss problems, required improvements and address queries regarding the audit process. The auditor will review your management system reference documents describing how your business operates, and ensure that the documented management system meets the requirements of the standard. This Review essentially establishes your system’s state of readiness for Stage 2 – Certification Audit and provides input to the planning process.
SAI Global’s auditor will provide a report that will identify the readiness of your system. Recommendations will be made regarding the next stage of the certification process. If you are considered not ready to progress to the Stage 2 Audits a subsequent readiness review will be required.
Stage 2 Audit
Certification Audit and Registration
The Certification Audit is a detailed, full system assessment to verify that the requirements of the standard are fully implemented and effectively complied with.
Following a satisfactory audit by SAI Global, your company will be recommended for certification providing that all non-conformances have been cleared, and the standard applied for is achieved.
Certification Maintenance
Surveillance Audits
Once certification and registration are achieved, Surveillance Audit Frequencies will be required to ensure that the system is adequately maintained.
Each surveillance audit re-examines some of the organizational processes. All processes and all customer specific quality management system requirements will have been re-examined within each three year cycle.
Triennial Audit
Re-Certification
Certification is valid for a period of three years and is renewable upon the conduct of a Re-certification Audit. This is similar in scope and duration to the initial Stage 2 Audit and essentially replaces the last Surveillance Audit in the third year of registration.
