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The certification process for management systems involves an initial audit conducted in two stages. The purpose is to verify whether the management system conforms to the applicable requirements.

If the results of the audit are positive, certification is granted. A management system certification is typically valid for three years, during which annual surveillance audits are carried out to ensure continued compliance.

For a management system certification to be recognized and accepted by authorities or business partners, it must be issued by a certification body accredited in accordance with the provisions of Regulation (EC) No. 765/2008.

RIGCERT provides accredited management system certification in accordance with European legislation and the requirements of the International Accreditation Forum (IAF)

Accreditation is the formal recognition of a certification body’s competence to perform audits and issue certifications. In other words, accreditation applies to certification bodies, while certification is the process applicable to organizations seeking to demonstrate conformity with a specific standard (e.g. ISO 9001).

Accreditation provides confidence that a certification is credible and will be accepted by relevant stakeholders, such as clients, regulatory authorities, or business partners.

Within the European Union, the accreditation of certification bodies is carried out exclusively by national accreditation bodies.

A complete list of recognized accreditation bodies in Europe can be found here.

Management system certifications (e.g., ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO/IEC 27001) are typically valid for three years.

During this period, the organization must undergo annual surveillance audits to confirm that its management system continues to meet the requirements and that the certification remains valid.

At the end of the three-year cycle, the organization may apply for recertification of its management system.

Yes, management system certifications can be transferred provided that certain conditions are met.

Only certifications issued under accreditation by an IAF member body are eligible for transfer, and the certification must be valid at the time of transfer.

RIGCERT performs a pre-transfer evaluation and reserves the right to accept or decline the transfer request.

Any interested party may submit a complaint regarding a certification issued by RIGCERT or lodge an appeal against a certification decision.

Complaints and appeals can be submitted in various forms (e.g., by email or in writing) and should include sufficient details to allow proper identification of the case.

RIGCERT will investigate the matter and provide a response to the complainant. Depending on the outcome of the investigation, additional actions may be taken.

More information on how complaints and appeals are managed is available in the Rules for Certification.