Certification conditions
Process for granting certificationThe management system certification schemes administered by SABS are available to all organisations, in all industries, whose systems comply with the requirements of the relevant system standard.
As audit and registration of certification schemes are two discrete processes, an Approvals Board verifies all recommendations for certification, suspension and withdrawal of certificates. Organisations outside South Africa may also be accommodated in the system certification schemes. The Standards Act is, however, no longer applicable and certification can only be effected through formal registration agreements. For organisations outside South Africa, the SABS keeps an Index of the applicable legislation with which its auditors have to familiarise themselves.
Organisations which have been registered by accredited certification bodies other than SABS, who wish to transfer such registration to SABS, must formally apply to SABS. A transfer review and recommendation will be made by the relevant Business Unit concerning
the status, stability and maturity of the organisation’s management system before transfer can take place. Certificates must be current at the time of transfer SABS reserves the right to decline an application for certification if there is any conflict with
other policies, resources or impartiality.
Maintaining certificationSABS performs regular surveillance audits as follows: Having certified the organisation, SABS will, during the two-year period immediately following the date of Certification, conduct regular surveillance audits of the certified organisation's management system to verify continued compliance with the requirements of the scheme. It may be necessary to conduct audits at short notice. These may include, but are not limited to:
- Investigations on complaints;
- Changes to the scope of the organisation’s activities, MS or practices;
- Conducting on-site clearance of non-conformities visits; and
- Conducting of a recertification audit after suspension.
Certificate re-issue- SABS conducts a recertification audit of the certified organisation’s management system before the end of the certification cycle
- The recertification audit is a re-evaluation of the organisation’s management system and takes into consideration a review of the previous year’s audit results in the certification cycle.
- The Approval Board reviews the documented evidence of the process and conclusionof the recertification audit to verify that all the requirements for registration have been met and that the process was conducted in compliance with Scheme accreditation requirements.
- If, within the discretion of the Approval Board, all requirements for recertification have been met, the Approval Board will approve the continued registration of the organisation on the Register of Certified Organisations
Every three years, the certification cycle as described above is repeated. Accordingly, SABS, following the recertification audit, performs regular surveillance audits for a period of two years following the date of any recertification and this surveillance is followed by a recertification audit in the third year.
Suspending certificationSABS may, within its discretion and upon written notice, suspend the registration of an organisation due to non-conformance to the requirements of the relevant Scheme. The organisation may request voluntary suspension of its certification due to: moving premises,
alterations to facilities and/or production processes or restructuring, which may impact compliance.
SABS will inform the organisation in writing of the suspension decision and the conditions
set by its Approval Board, the period of suspension and the reasons for the suspension.
During the suspension period, the organisation shall:
- not claim certification in respect of the Relevant Scheme in any material whatsoever, including, marketing, sales or procurement documents, e.g. tenders;
- not display the Certificate of Registration or fly the certification flag on its premises;
- adhere to any specific instructions and conditions, which SABS has specified;
- not mislead its customers or the consumer/public in any way whatsoever, regarding its certification status.
Should the above provisions not be complied with SABS will be entitled to take the steps it deems necessary against the organisation as provided for in law. The organisation shall continue to pay the certification fees SABS will, upon request from any third party, correctly state the status of certification of the organisation’s management system. If the organisation has not corrected the non-compliances by the end of the suspension period, SABS may immediately terminate the agreement and cancel the certificate.
If the organisation fails to request a reinstatement audit in the given period, and/or is unable to achieve full compliance with the requirements of the relevant scheme certification standard after the suspension period, the Certification will be
withdrawn/cancelled by SABS, the certification terminated and all Certificates of Registration should immediately be returned to SABS.
Termination of ServicesServices may also be terminated following 30 days written notice or if there is a breach of any of the terms and conditions by either party. Upon termination, the organisation must:
- Immediately cease use of the Marks;
- As soon as reasonable, but no later than 30 days following termination, remove all representations of the Marks, including all signs or display material bearing the Marks;
- Deliver (at its expense) to SABS all materials which reproduce or display the Marks or, at the election of SABS, destroy such materials and provide satisfactory evidence of their destruction;
- The organisation shall be entirely responsible to SABS for any direct damage caused by the unauthorised use of such materials which are not delivered, destroyed or altered.
