Complaints & Appeals

This Policy establishes the general principles and procedures used by GAR for receiving, evaluating, investigating, deciding and closing complaints and appeals.

It may apply to testing, inspection, certification, audit, verification, validation, conformity assessment, technical assurance and other professional activities performed or coordinated by GAR.

Complaints may generally be submitted by Clients, applicants, certificate holders, customers of certified organizations, regulators, accreditation bodies, employees, suppliers, interested parties or other stakeholders with a legitimate concern.

Appeals are generally available to the person or organization directly affected by the conformity-assessment decision concerned, subject to applicable scheme or regulatory requirements.

Complaints should contain sufficient information to allow GAR to understand and evaluate the concern.

GAR may request additional information where reasonably necessary to determine the nature, validity or scope of the complaint.

A complaint may concern an organization certified, inspected, audited, verified or otherwise assessed through GAR or an applicable Network Resource.

Where relevant, GAR may consider whether the complaint raises questions regarding continuing conformity, effectiveness of a certified management system, compliance with certification requirements or proper use of a certificate or mark.

The organization concerned may be informed of the complaint and given an appropriate opportunity to provide information, subject to confidentiality and legal requirements.

Where a complaint identifies a substantiated deficiency in GAR’s activities, appropriate correction or corrective action should be considered.

An appeal is a request for formal reconsideration of a decision made in connection with a conformity-assessment activity.

Depending on the service and applicable rules, appealable matters may include decisions concerning:

Appeals should normally be submitted in writing within the period prescribed by the applicable certification scheme, accreditation requirement, contract or GAR procedure.

An appeal should identify:

Appeal review shall be structured to protect impartiality and objective reconsideration of the challenged decision.

Personnel making or materially participating in the final appeal decision should not have been responsible for the original decision being appealed where applicable conformity-assessment requirements require such separation.

GAR may appoint technically competent personnel, an independent reviewer, an appeals panel, committee or relevant accredited Network Resource according to the nature of the matter.

Submission of an appeal does not automatically reverse, suspend or invalidate the decision being appealed unless the applicable scheme, regulation, contract or competent decision-maker determines otherwise.

Where necessary to address significant safety, regulatory, certification or integrity risks, appropriate interim measures may remain in effect while an appeal is being considered.

GAR seeks to keep complainants and appellants appropriately informed regarding the status or progress of a matter, particularly where the investigation requires an extended period.

Upon completion of the review, GAR will communicate the outcome to the extent appropriate and legally permissible.

Reasons for decisions may be communicated subject to confidentiality, legal restrictions and rights of other parties.

Information relating to complaints and appeals shall be handled with appropriate confidentiality.

Access should be limited to persons who require the information for legitimate investigation, review, decision-making, governance, accreditation, regulatory or legal purposes.

GAR may disclose information where required by law, competent authorities, accreditation bodies, certification schemes or where disclosure is otherwise necessary for legitimate investigation of the matter.

Submission of a legitimate complaint or appeal in good faith should not result in discriminatory or retaliatory treatment by GAR.

This principle does not prevent GAR from taking legitimate action where a submission is fraudulent, abusive, threatening, deliberately misleading or otherwise inconsistent with law or professional conduct.

GAR delivers and coordinates services through an international network of laboratories, inspection bodies, certification bodies, auditors, inspectors, engineers and other technical resources.

Where a complaint or appeal concerns an activity for which another legal entity or accredited Network Resource holds formal responsibility, GAR may refer or coordinate the matter with that organization.

GAR may nevertheless maintain oversight of the matter where relevant to its own contractual, governance or network-management responsibilities.

Certain certification, inspection, testing, verification or regulatory schemes establish mandatory complaint and appeal procedures.

These requirements may specify:

GAR seeks to maintain appropriate records of complaints and appeals, including significant actions taken and conclusions reached.

Records may include:

Significant trends may be considered during management review, quality review, impartiality review or other governance processes.

GAR regards complaints and appeals as important sources of information about service quality, technical consistency, communication, impartiality and organizational effectiveness.

Appropriate analysis may identify opportunities to improve:

Complaints and appeals should be submitted through an official GAR communication channel and should include sufficient information to identify the matter concerned.