CSA Group Testing UK Ltd provides testing and calibration services and certification of management systems, personnel and products. Group Testing UK Ltd is accredited for these activities by UKAS and is appointed as a UKCA ‘Approved Body’ by the UK Government under UK Legislation.

Quality policy

The policy of CSA Group Testing UK Ltd is to provide, in the most cost effective manner, independent and impartial testing, certification and inspection services which combine technical competence with objectivity and integrity. The Service is non-discriminatory in operation, with no undue financial or other conditions, and is available to all. It is the policy of the Service to achieve and maintain recognised accreditation for its activities in order to demonstrate its commitment to providing an efficient, commercially aware, competent service.

Audit and certification process

A description of our audit and certification process for granting, maintaining, extending, renewing, reducing, or withdrawing certification is detailed in “Regulations Applicable to Holders of CSA Group Testing UK Ltd Certificates” and supplementary regulations.

For Management System services you can view our initial audit process here.

Confidentiality

Activities carried out for clients shall be treated as confidential to that client unless otherwise agreed.

Information supplied by clients, the results and documents generated by the certification service and its subcontractors, the contract records that are retained, and the existence of the contract itself (other than any certificates issued) are all treated as “commercial in confidence” and will not be communicated to any third party without written agreement, unless the information is already in the public domain.

Where the law requires information to be disclosed to a third party, the client will be informed of the information disclosed.

Impartiality

CSA Group Testing UK Ltd has appointed independent impartiality committees whose primary role is to safeguard impartiality of the certification activities of CSA Group Testing UK Ltd.

The members of the Impartiality Committees are drawn from external organisations having a bona fide and continuing interest in the scope of the certification services provided by CSA Group Testing UK Ltd, on the basis of maintaining a balanced representation of interests in which no single interest predominates.

Certification status

CSA Group Testing UK Ltd makes publicly accessible information about the certification status of each of its clients through the Certificate Database. This shows whether a certificate is current, suspended or has been withdrawn.

Certificate withdrawal and suspension policy

Full or partial, temporary suspension or permanent withdrawal of certificates is undertaken in exceptional circumstances and on a case by case basis.

Examples of circumstances that may lead to suspension are not limited to the following,

• The client’s certified management system or product has persistently or seriously failed to meet certification requirements
• The certificate holder does not allow surveillance or rectification audits to be conducted at the required facilities or
• The certificate holder has voluntarily requested a suspension

Failure to resolve issues that have resulted in the suspension in a time established by CSA Group Testing UK Ltd may result in withdrawal or reduction in the scope of certification.

Appeals process

CSA Group Testing UK Ltd has a procedure for the considering appeals against its decisions relative to testing and certification. When a client files an appeal it follows an escalation process through various levels. CSA Group Testing UK Ltd ensure that all reasonable steps are taken to resolve the issue and will ensure that there are no relationships that may compromise the impartiality of the appeal.

If after implementation of what is considered to be all reasonable steps, the problem is not resolved, the appeal information shall be forwarded to the Impartiality Committee for independent adjudication.

Complaints

CSA Group Testing UK Ltd takes complaints against itself and its clients seriously.

All customer complaints received through customer visits, surveys, telephone calls, letters, facsimiles, e-mails, etc. pertaining to communication, cost, quality, time and other similar issues involving CSA Group UK services including those related to certification services are addressed through CSA Group internal process.

Where a customer complaint cannot be resolved by the complaint recipient, at the complaint receipt stage, it will be forwarded to a Responsible Manager who has the authority to resolve the complaint.

Complaints about a registered client should be submitted in writing. For this reasons shown below, these complaints may take longer to fully resolve. We will have to confirm that the client is registered by CSA Group Testing UK Ltd, ensure that they are taking appropriate action and if required confirm compliance during a subsequent audit of the client.

For serious unresolved complaints, the complainant or CSA Group Testing UK Ltd can request an independent review of the complaint. This request must be made in writing, and will be considered by CSA Group Testing UK Ltd. The documentation will be forwarded to the Impartiality Committee for independent adjudication.