How certification works
- 1
Enquiry and quotation
You send us your scope, sites and employee numbers. We issue a quotation on form F-71 setting out the audit time and the fee basis.
- 2
Stage 1 audit
We review your documented system, confirm the scope and check that you are ready for Stage 2. Any gaps are reported to you in writing.
- 3
Stage 2 audit
We audit the system in operation at your premises. Stage 2 takes place within six months of Stage 1.
- 4
Corrective action
Any non-conformity is graded. Major non-conformities are closed within 30 working days and minor non-conformities within 20 working days.
- 5
Certification decision
The audit file is reviewed independently of the audit team. The decision to certify is taken by that reviewer, not by the auditor.
- 6
Certificate issue and surveillance
Your certificate is issued for three years. We carry out surveillance each year. A system left non-compliant for three months is suspended, and may then be withdrawn.
Surveillance, suspension and withdrawal
Complaints and appeals
NQC is a third party certification body. We do not provide consultancy, internal auditing or management system implementation to the organisations we certify, and certification decisions are taken independently of the audit team. Read our impartiality policy.