Certification of management systems:

– Environmental management systems in accordance with EMAS III (Regulation (EC) No 1221/2009)
– Environmental management systems according to ISO 14001
– Quality management systems according to ISO 9001
– Health and safety at work according to ISO 45001, BS OHSAS 18001.
– Energy management systems according to ISO 50001

The preparation of a certification:

– After initial contact by telephone, please send us the completed data recording sheet
– On the basis of this information, we check the feasibility of your certification request and prepare an offer.
– With your order of the offer, a binding certification agreement is concluded for 3 years. The issued certificate is also valid for 3 years.
– During the certification period, one certification audit and two surveillance audits are carried out in the standard procedure.

Three steps to the certificate:

– Preparatory phase
– Phase 1 Audit (document review / on site)
– Phase 2 Audit (on-site inspection)
– Award of the certificate

1. Preparation phase (by the certification body)

Composition and designation of the audit team. The audit team is responsible for the entire audit process.

2. Certification audit

Phase 1
Phase 1 of the certification/registration audit shall be carried out to obtain sufficient information to demonstrate that the essential requirements for an effective management system are met. The lead auditor checks the documentation for completeness of compliance with the requirements of the relevant standard.

Phase 2
Phase 2 of the certification audit takes place in the organisation or company. Those in the scope areas are checked on site. The execution of the audit consists of the following steps:
– Preparation (audit program) – the lead auditor prepares an audit program with time specifications and requirements for the participation of the responsible persons to be interviewed.
– Implementation – carrying out the audit on site.
– Final meeting – the audit team presents the results of the audit and the date for dealing with any deviations found is set.
– Evaluation (analysis) – the audit report summarises the findings. This report is prepared by the lead auditor. He is responsible for the completeness and precision of the report. He compiles all comments of the auditors and technical experts who participated in the audit.

3. Award of the certificate

The documentation of the lead auditor is checked in the certification body. If no factors are found which could question the documentation and the recommendation of the lead auditor, the certificate is issued and signed by the head of the certification body.

Non-issuance of the certificate

In the case of non-conformities, the satisfactory implementation of corrective actions and corrective measures shall be demonstrated within a specified period of time. The verification of effectiveness can be done on the basis of the documentation or, if required, on site.
Any additional costs incurred are to be borne by the client. If the non-conformities have not been completely remedied or if the requirements for the granting of a certificate are not met, the certification procedure is concluded without the granting of a certificate.

Monitoring audits

The certification body carries out so-called surveillance audits once a year during the contract period. Surveillance audits are carried out analogous to the certification audit. The lead auditor prepares an audit report.

Renewal of the certificate / re-certification

A recertification audit is required before the three-year validity of the certificate expires. The re-certification audit should be carried out early enough to ensure that the procedure is completed before the old certificate expires – usually no later than 4 weeks before.
The procedure essentially follows the procedure for initial certification – but without stage 1 audit. A recertification audit assesses the conformity and effectiveness of the management system as a whole and confirms its applicability to the scope of certification.
A new certificate is issued, which is valid for 3 years.

Acceptance of accredited certifications

Accredited certification is taken over in case of existing certificates from other conformity assessment bodies. A recertification audit by Intechnica Cert must be carried out at least three months before the certificate expires.
Extension and limitation of the scope
An extension of the scope can be done in connection with a surveillance audit or in a separate audit. After receipt of the application, the organisation will first receive a detailed list of the minimum documents to be submitted. These are checked by the auditor, who then informs the organisation about any necessary measures.
If the requirements for a part of the scope of a certificate are permanently not fulfilled, the scope of the certificate may be restricted by the certification body.

Suspension and restoration of the certificate

If the client demonstrably violates his contractual or financial obligations towards Intechnica Cert GmbH, Intechnica Cert GmbH is entitled to suspend the certificate for a limited period of time. In particular, Intechnica Cert GmbH is entitled to temporarily suspend the certificate if
– the certified management system does not fulfil the certification requirements – including the requirements for effectiveness – permanently or seriously
– the certified client does not allow the necessary surveillance or recertification audits to be carried out in due time
– the contracting entity makes misleading statements concerning its certification
– uses certification documents or parts in a misleading way
– not informed about changes in the management system
– the contracting authority asks voluntarily for a suspension

If the client is able to demonstrate a condition that meets the requirements within 6 months after a suspension, the certification can be restored. If a condition that meets the requirements cannot be achieved or can only be achieved in part within 6 months, the certificate will be withdrawn or the scope of the certificate will be restricted.

Withdrawal of the certificate

Intechnica Cert GmbH is entitled to withdraw the certificate if
– the period for resolving the problems which led to the suspension of the certificate has expired
– if the client continues to promote its certification after suspension
– the client uses the certification in a way that brings the certification body or certification system into disrepute
– it turns out that the conditions necessary for the issue of the certificate were not fulfilled
– the contracting entity has unduly influenced the certification procedure in such a way that the objectivity, neutrality or independence of the evaluation result was not guaranteed.

After suspension or withdrawal of certification, the use of the certificate and the certification mark shall be discontinued in all communication media containing references to the certification status. In such cases, the client is obliged to return the certificate.

Click on the links below for detailed information of our procedures

Policy, Declaration of Impartiality, Certification Procedure, Complaints Procedure, Request for Information