Frequently asked questions

Certification is third-party attestation that a management system, product, process or service meets specified requirements. For management systems it covers a defined scope and set of sites, is based on audits and is maintained through yearly surveillance.

Management systems (ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, ISO 22000, FSSC 22000), food safety, product, Halal and sustainability schemes. See the standards & schemes library.

Send an enquiry or request for certification. We send an application form asking for your legal entity, sites, employees by shift, processes and outsourced activities. After an application review we issue a quotation and a certification agreement.

Usually two to four months from a signed agreement, depending on readiness, Stage 1 findings and how quickly nonconformities are closed.

Audit days are calculated under IAF MD 5 from effective personnel and risk, then multiplied by the day rate, plus fixed application and certificate fees and travel. No fee depends on the outcome.

A readiness review of your documented system, site conditions, legal obligations, scope, internal audit and management review. It reports areas of concern rather than graded findings.

The full on-site evaluation of implementation and effectiveness across processes and shifts. Findings are graded and the audit team makes a recommendation.

You submit correction, root cause and corrective action within 30 days. Major nonconformities must be verified as closed before certification can be granted; minor nonconformities need an accepted plan.

Auditors state the requirement, the objective evidence and the finding. Solutions remain the organisation's own, which keeps the audit independent.

Yes. You are told the audit team in advance and may object on reasonable grounds, for example a previous working relationship.

Three years, subject to satisfactory surveillance audits at least once each calendar year. The first surveillance takes place within 12 months of the certification decision.

A shorter audit, usually about one third of the initial audit time, confirming the system is maintained and checking complaints, corrective actions, changes and use of the certificate.

Use the verification page with the certificate number or organisation name, or scan the QR code on the certificate.

No. Management-system certification does not certify products. The mark may be used on stationery, websites and premises for the certified scope only.

The certificate is temporarily invalid and the organisation may not claim certification until it is restored.

A certification decision maker who took no part in your audit or its technical review.

Assessment, technical review and certification decision are carried out by different people, and an Impartiality Committee reviews risks to impartiality.

Through declarations for every person, exclusion of anyone with a recent relationship with the client, separation of roles and review of threats by an Impartiality Committee.

Yes — food and commodity, product and packaging, factory and process, regulatory and compliance, and third-party and supplier inspection, structured to ISO/IEC 17020. See Inspection.

Courses in management systems, food safety (HACCP, VACCP, TACCP), auditing, regulatory compliance, Halal, social compliance and sustainability. See the course catalogue.

Through the BVS competence evaluation: education, experience, examination and observed auditing. Academy courses build the knowledge that supports it. See Work with BVS.

Yes. BVS Academy courses can be delivered on site for your team.

Courses run in classroom, in-house and online formats.

Use the complaints page or the contact form. We acknowledge every complaint and investigate it with people not involved in the subject.

Yes. We investigate and, where justified, raise it with the certified organisation and may carry out a special audit.

In writing within 30 days of the decision. Appeals are decided by people who took no part in the audit, review or decision.

No. Submitting a complaint or appeal never leads to discriminatory action.

We acknowledge promptly, keep you informed and confirm the outcome in writing.