Resource
Certification lifecycle guide
Everything that happens from your first enquiry to recertification, on one page.
- EnquiryYou tell us what you need
- ApplicationSites, people, processes, scope
- Review & quoteAudit days set by rules, then priced
- AgreementScope and obligations in writing
- Stage 1Readiness review
- Stage 2Full evaluation on site
- NonconformitiesCorrection and corrective action
- Technical reviewIndependent file check
- DecisionIndependent decision maker
- CertificateIssued and published for verification
- SurveillanceAt least yearly
| Step | What happens | Who | Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enquiry & application | You complete the application: legal entity, sites, employees by shift, processes and outsourced activities. | You; BVS coordinator | Application form |
| Application review | We confirm scope, industry sector, competent auditors and impartiality. | Technical & Certification Manager | Review record |
| Audit time & quotation | Audit days are calculated under IAF MD 5 from effective personnel and risk, then priced. | Technical & Certification Manager | Audit-time worksheet; quotation |
| Agreement | Certification agreement covering scope, obligations, confidentiality, use of marks and fees. | You; BVS | Certification agreement |
| Audit team | Competent auditors free of conflicts of interest are appointed; you may object to a team member on reasonable grounds. | Technical & Certification Manager | Team appointment |
| Stage 1 | Readiness review on site; areas of concern reported so you can act before Stage 2. | Lead auditor | Stage 1 report |
| Stage 2 | Full audit of implementation and effectiveness across processes and shifts. Findings graded major or minor. | Audit team | Audit report; NC reports |
| Corrective action | Correction, root cause and corrective action within 30 days; majors verified closed within 90 days. | You; lead auditor | NC records |
| Technical review | An independent reviewer checks the whole file. | Technical reviewer | Technical review record |
| Certification decision | A decision maker independent of the audit and review decides. | Certification decision maker | Decision record |
| Certificate | Issued for three years; status published for verification. | BVS coordinator | Certificate; register entry |
| Surveillance & recertification | At least one audit every year, the first within 12 months of the decision; recertification before expiry. | Audit team | Reports; decisions |
Year 1Stage 1 + 2
DecisionCertificate
≤12 monthsSurveillance 1
Next yearSurveillance 2
Before expiryRecertification