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QCS MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS CERTIFICATION SCHEME REGULATIONS.
Scope
The scope & purpose of this document namely "QCS Management Systems Certification Scheme regulations" is to provide relevant information’s to our internal and external interested parties related to our certification scheme regulations. QCS is an accredited certifying body under the auspices of ASCB(E)-UK accreditation regime. Our job is to conduct an impartial and credible third party assessment of a company’s management systems as per the following accredited scopes of ISO Management system Standards;
1. ISO 9001:2015 - Quality Management system
2. ISO 14001:2015 - Environment Management system
3. OHSAS 18001:2007 - Occupational health& safety Management system
4. ISO 45001:2018- Occupational health& safety Management system
5. ISO 22000:2005 - Foof safety Management system
6. ISO 27001:2013 - Information security Management system
The Third party assessment/ certification schemes operated by QCS are in Voluntary ISO Management System Standards (MSS) in non regulated sectors of conformity assessment activities. These schemes are being adopted by our client organizations as per its free choice and discretion without any inducements or pressure from any quarter as such including QCS.
Background & Legal status QCS Management System
“ QCS Management Pvt Ltd” is a private limited company registered as per Indian company’s act 1956 in Kolkata, west Bengal, India.
Corporate identity number of QCS Management Pvt Ltd: U74900WB2012PTC188137. The authority vested in QCS Management Pvt Ltd is that assigned to them by the organisation in respect of the certification services contracted. No claim as to statutory, legislative, authority, prominence or right given by any other party unless specified by QCSMPL is claimed.
QCS Management Pvt Ltd is being accredited as per ISO 17021 by ““……Accreditation Service for Certifying Bodies Ltd[ASCB (E)-UK]. (www.ascb.co.uk )
QCS operates as per the following documented rules regulations & guidelines ;
Accreditation
ASCB- UK was formed in 1995 to accredit a range of non-governmental certifying bodies that assess products, personnel and management systems. It is in fact one of the leading international accreditation bodies in the world, respected for its integrity, practicality and impartiality. Till date ASCB- UK has accredited over 90 certification bodies, registered over 3500 assessors, auditors and quality related personnel and certificated over 30,000 organisations.
On ASCB’s Affiliation
ASCB-UK belongs to the Global Accreditation Forum (GAF), an international association for accreditation, which promotes best practices in quality assurance worldwide.
On ASCB’s registration facilities for accredited Certifications
All certificated bodies, organisations and products are placed on the International Register (IRQAO) that has a live search function, providing the user with instant validation of the authenticity of any ASCB-UK accredited certificate holders.
Legal status of ASCB(E)-UK
We include here text lifted directly from ASCB for the guidance of our existing and potential customers.
“……Accreditation Service for Certifying Bodies ( Europe ) Ltd is a private limited company registered in England and Wales registered number 3132143. The company is therefore registered as a trading concern with the appropriate United Kingdom authorities. The authority vested in ASCB Ltd is that assigned to them by the certifying body and by the organisation in respect of the accreditation services contracted. No claim as to statutory, legislative, authority, prominence or right given by any other party unless specified by ASCB Ltd is claimed. Organisations are advised that ASCB Ltd provide accreditation services and are known to the U K Government Department of Trade and Industry as doing so……”
Objectives of QCS ISO certification schemes
The core objective of QCS ISO certification schemes is to provide a wider recognition to companies who have effectively implemented and operate a verified management system as per the stipulated guidelines of the respective international standards which are within our scope of activities.
It is to be noted in this context that we are not certifying the Quality of product or services which remains the job of product certification firms or law firm or inspection agency or testing firm to validate the legality and inner compositions of the Quality of product or services. These jobs must be done at the client’s end from authorized service providers of these services. The updated test and inspection reports from authorized agencies validating the products/ service quality, safety and security and legal records to be retained by the organization for checking by any third party assessment service providers including QCS auditors. Policies, updated Management review and internal audit records as per the related standard need to be also retained before the external audit by QCS. Besides, any other relevant records /evidences related to the standard’s requirements along with the functional processes, need to also be retained. The key difference between product and third party systems certifications followed by QCS is that we adopt a process based approach which means we certify the different functional processes of an organization and not the product . That’s why customers cannot attach the ISO systems certification logos on their products and services.
To start with Company’s can roll out a basic training programs on the related ISO standard across its functional processes to get their management and workforce acquainted with the requirements.
Regulations of our Certification schemes
It is to be noted that QCS is a management system audit firm which conducts process audits in line with voluntary ISO management system standards in non regulated voluntary sectors. There are no specific legislations or notifications from the governments that it is compulsory to adopt these voluntary ISO standards. Our job is to validate the clients management systems processes on the basis of sample audits as per the respective requirements of the ISO MSS. On conclusion of each audit stage, our audit team will give a honest feedback to the client and QCS HO on the existing status of client’s management systems . The feedbacks will be given on the basis of audit evidences provided to them by the client on the particular audit date. The clients are expected to take effective corrective actions on the nonconformities and observations being provided by the audit team. On successful conclusion of the final audit process we will provide a certificate of registration in respect to the international standard, which the client has implemented. We will publish the certificate on an international register(IRQAO) For easy validation of the bona fide nature of the ISO certificate .
All our management system auditors and certification personnel have to sign a confidentiality and conflict of interest legally binding document with QCS to demonstrate an ethical conduct to strictly maintain the neutrality and integrity of our certification audit process.
All our certification schemes are solely based on voluntary agreements between QCS and our clients without any financial inducements or pressure from each party to the agreement or from any quarter as such. Our schemes are solely designed to fulfill the specific needs and expectations of each of our client and it may vary from one organization to another and may not always follow a fixed uniform pattern. Some of our schemes are solely industry /clients specific by keeping the core elements of the ISO standards same. We might take a combination of best business practices of all times such as Deming’s fourteen best management principles, seven deadly diseases of western management, SWOT Analysis, Process approach to management & PDCA cycle which are compatible with ISO international standards.
Our basic operational framework is built as per ISO 17021 (Competency requirements for certifying bodies engaged in management system certification process) and ISO 19011(Competency requirements for QMS & EMS audits).
Our basic core objective is to verify and report the improvement process of management’s performance as per the related standard without being overtly judgmental of how the improvement is being achieved or weather the improvement is being achieved or not. Weather the improvement is being achieved or not through suitable application of the standard does not come within our jurisdiction. This is the job of the standard setting organization or the management team employed in the implementation of the standards.
Assessment & Certification Process
Our business assessment process is based on the alignments of the requirements of the relevant scheme with an organsiation’s size, activities, processes complexities, geographical locations, current business context and the needs and expectations of its relevant interested parties. Our ISO certification process differs from business to business and do not have a one size fit all approach. This means a small company do not have to maintain an elaborate system unlike a bigger outfit which have more complex systems.
Our certificates are issued solely on good faith and trust based on the information’s provided to us by the clients to our auditors on a particular given day based on which certification decisions are being taken. But we are not accountable to verify the authenticity or legality of the information’s provided to us. We are not liable for any false information’s or violation of any legal obligations by our clients or any of our interested parties (EXTERNEL/INTERNEL) which falls within their own specific responsibilities to bear the consequences of any such deeds and acts.
In case our certified clients are involved in any legal issues it falls within its responsibilities to immediately inform QCS , failing which our certificates will immediately stand to be terminated without any further notification from our side.
It must be noted in this context that giving the correct information to QCS as per the law of the land is the responsibility of the interested parties providing the information to QCS. Any alteration, false claims, misinformation, forgery or manipulations on the signed undertaking/ agreement/ contracts/reports/publicity materials etc will be treated by QCS as legal offense and liable to be penalized under section Section 31 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 (43 of 1950), republic of India.” of the Indian penal code. It must be noted by all the relevant interested parties of QCS that " making a statement or declaration which is false and which they know or believe to be false or do not believe to be true, is punishable under Section 31 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 (43 of 1950) of republic of India ". Besides, all disputes between QCS and its relevant interested parties must be settled amicably and if amicable settlement is not possible then as per the legal jurisdiction of the court of Calcutta, west Bengal India.
We offer all our certification services in non notified voluntary sectors and do not claim to be connected with any governmental legislations/ notifications or regulations. It must be noted it falls within the responsibilities of our clients to verify its specific requirements, related to its certification schemes from its relevant interested parties before opting for our scheme. QCS will not be liable to bear any damages after the certification has been granted to the client if it does not satisfy its buyers or regulators demands. Besides, our certificates must not also be treated as a legal document.
It should be noted that all certificates are the sole property of QCS and need to be returned back to us without any further request after its expiration dates, or cancelation or suspension by QCS or accreditation board. In such cases where the certificates are cancelled by the accreditation board, QCS will reissue a new certificate with only QCS logo and maintain the certificates in our register for the rest of the valid term as per the existing certification cycle. QCS will also provide full support to our clients to transfer its certificates to an accredited status after its expiration dates.
if the clients use the accredited certificates after the expiration/ suspension / cancelation of the certificates by QCS or accreditation board without our written and tacit approval to do the same , then it will be his sole responsibility to bear the damages in such cases and QCS will be not be liable for the gross violations of its conduct along with the regulations of our certification schemes which strictly forbids any such actions according to our rules.
A brief summary QCS certification process :-
· Preliminary meeting to establish scope of registration and the applicable standard.
· Conduct of independent audits for certification
· Issue of accredited certifications as per accredited scope sectors
· Surveillance visits for verification of conformance of quality systems to certification standard
The organization need to develop a system in respect to ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, OHSAS 18001:2007, ISO 45001:2018, ISO 22000:2005, ISO 27001:2013 as per the applicable management system standards for which they are seeking the certification.
Payment of certification Fees:
All payments to be made strictly in advance to QCS for full and final settlement of our bill amounts as per our proforma invoice, Quotation and commercial contract.
If certificates payments are not realized in full and final settlement of our billing amount in QCS bank account , then it will automatically loose its authenticity and validity without any further notification from QCS. Clients must check the authenticity of certificates from IRQAO website maximum within one month of the issue date and then periodically every year. In case they do not see its certificates on IRQAO website they should first confirm its payments status from the concerned distributor to ensure they deposited the fess to QCS. if the payments are already made they should inform us by an email along with the copy of the payment details to QCS. Please note QCS will be unable to publish any certificates on IRQAO / QCS website until and unless the full fees as per our contractual amount are being deposited in our company account.
QCS Liabilities
Also QCS will not be accountable for any fees paid to any third-party other than directly to QCS. The accountabilities for fees paid to any third party including our approved associates is vested on the customer and the third party. QCS will not take any direct or indirect liabilities until and unless such amounts are not being realized in our bank account in full and final settlement as per our billing statements. . Therefore evidence of payments deposited in the account of QCS is necessary on account of each certificate issued to maintain its onward continuity.
Logo Guidelines
It must be noted that any modifications/ misuse alteration on the template of the certificates along with QCS and ASCBE logos without QCS written approval is strictly prohibited which is a punishable offence as per legal jurisprudence of Indian legal system.
Settlement of Disputes :
The Parties shall attempt to resolve any dispute in connection with the certification Agreement(annex 13) through amicable discussions. Any dispute arising in connection with the certification Agreement between and including all such disputes which have not been remedied pursuant to amicable negotiations and which cannot be resolved within 30 days from the date of such notice of dispute or difference shall be referred to Arbitration under the provisions of Indian Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996. All arbitration proceedings shall be conducted in English and the jurisdiction for conducting such proceedings shall be in calcuta, west Bengal, India only. In case the matter is not resolved by arbitration then any party can file a suit but the suit will be maintained in the court of Jurisdiction of Kolkata, West Bengal India only.
THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTS SHOULD BE STUDIED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE AFOREMENTIONED DOCUEMNT
Please download our certification scheme regulation-Annex15 for further details, which should be studied and understood in conjunction with the aforementioned document and QCS certification audit contrct- Annex-13 available at the following link: http://www.qcspl.com/upload/Annex%2013-contractual_agreement.pdf
Please download our certification scheme regulation-Annex15 for further details, which should be studied and understood in conjunction with the aforementioned document and QCS certification audit contrct- Annex-13 available at the following link: http://www.qcspl.com/upload/Annex%2013-contractual_agreement.pdf