Appeal and Complaint Management Process

Scope

PURPOSE:

Appeal and Complaint

SCOPE:

To respond to appeal and complaint in relation to the Management System Certification of the organization and to defined the Terms for dealing with the appeal and complaint.

RESPONSIBILITY:

BOD/CEO/QM

Introduction

• An applicant, a certified company or any interested party may appeal against a decision of BCI. The matter is referred to the Appeals Panel whose decision is final. This Procedure is also publicly available on BCI website www.britishcertification.in
• Any complaint received by BCI in writing or by e-mail or telephone in respect of its functions as a certification body or a company certified by it, shall be fully reviewed by the CEO and shall be recorded in the complaint register with its nature. The tracking and recording complaints, including actions undertaken in response to them is maintained by CEO in BCI –F-016
• Any appeal may be filed by writing a mail to : britishcertifications9@gmail.com

Administration of appeal

• BCI shall have a documented process to receive, evaluate and make decisions on appeals. Any complaint not filed online shall be recorded in the website automatically and a unique complaint number shall be allocated to the complainant, within 05 days QM / CEO shall review the complaint and shall ensure action plan and acknowledgement of the same shall be sent to client directly from the website. Status of the complaint is always visible to the client for the next 2 years.
• BCI shall be responsible for all decisions at all levels of the appeals-handling process. The certification body shall ensure that the persons engaged in the appeals-handling process are different from those who carried out the audits and made the certification decisions.
• Submission, investigation and decision on appeals shall not result in any discriminatory actions against the appellant.
• The appeals-handling process shall include at least the following elements and methods:
1. An outline of the process for receiving, validating and investigating the appeal, and for deciding what actions need to be taken in response to it, taking into account the results of previous similar appeals;
2. Tracking and recording appeals, including actions undertaken to resolve them;
3. Ensuring that any appropriate correction and corrective action are taken.
• BCI receiving the appeal shall be responsible for gathering and verifying all necessary information to validate the appeal.
• BCI shall acknowledge receipt of the appeal and shall provide the appellant with progress reports and the result of the appeal.
• The decision to be communicated to the appellant shall be made by, or reviewed and approved by, individual(s) not previously involved in the subject of the appeal.
• The certification body shall give formal notice to the appellant of the end of the appeals handling Process
• In the event of an applicant, Certified Company or any interested party, wishing to contest any decision of BCI, he shall, within 14 days after having been officially informed of such a decision, give notice in writing to BCI of his desire to appeal against the decision. The receipt of the appeal is acknowledged by the CEO and the applicant is informed of the progress made and the outcome. BCI is responsible for all decisions at all levels of the appeals-handling process
• Tracking and recording appeals, including actions undertaken to resolve them ensuring that any appropriate correction and corrective action are taken are done by CEO in format no BCI-F-018 and presented in front of Appeal panel
• On receipt of such an appeal, the CEO shall advise the Board of Directors and the Impartial Committee of the details of the appeal received.  The Board of Directors will proceed to constitute an independent Appeals Panel in each case in consultation with the Impartial Committee. The Appeals Panel will comprise a Chairman who will be assisted by two members of the Impartial Committee representing the area of technical expertise related to the nature of the appellant's activities under certification.  The appellant will have the right to object against the inclusion of any person in the Appeals Panel.  All members chosen to form the Appeals Panel shall not have been previously involved in the decision appealed against. BCI also ensures that the persons engaged in the appeals-handling process are different from those who carried out the audits and made the certification decisions
• The meeting of the Appeal Panel shall be held within 30 days of the receipt of notification from the appellant and the appellant will be provided with at least 7 clear days of written notice of the time and place of the Appeals Panel Meeting.  Prior to the meeting of the Appeals Panel the existing decision of BCI is to remain in force
• At the Appeals Panel meeting both the appellant and the appropriate representative from BCI shall be entitled to be heard in confidence and the majority decision of the Appeals Panel shall be final. While taking decision the results of previous similar appeals are taken into account
• The CEO shall ensure that the appellant is advised in writing of the decision of the Appeals Panel within 7 days of the decision. The CEO shall record details of the appeal in the Register of Appeals and implement the decision of the appeals panel, as required
• On conclusion of the appeal, the CEO will also review the grounds of appeal and evaluate if any possible improvements to BCI’s control systems are required. A description of the appeals handling process is available on BCI website to make it publicly accessible
• BCI ensures through Appeal Panel that the decision to be communicated to the appellant made by, or reviewed and approved by, individual(s) not previously involved in the subject of the appeal
• The CEO shall ensure that the submission, investigation and decision on Appeals shall not result in any discriminatory actions against the appellant that any appropriate correction and corrective action are taken. The certification body shall give formal notice to the appellant at the end of the appeals handling process.

Appeal Penal

• Appeal penal is temporary penal constituted for hearing the appeal and shall consist the following members.
1. One Expert Member having sectoral competencies.
2. One Retired government officer having experience of appeal and similar panal.
3. One Member from Impartial Committee
4. One member from the Board of Director of the company who is not part of the certification team.
5. One member from Certification team preferably CEO / QM to clarify the aspect of the BCI, such member shall have no right to take decision but shall help the penal to reach on decision with the help of the fact and evidence.

• One member can have up to 2 representations like any member from the government department may represent the government as well expert or IC.
• Competence criteria for selection of member of appeal penal is defined in BCI-F-12 Job Description which includes brief introduction, constitution, educational criteria, experience, duties, authorities and responsibilities .

Administration of Complaint

• shall be responsible for all decisions at all levels of the complaints handling process
• Submission, investigation and decision on complaints shall not result in any discriminatory actions against the complainant
• Upon receipt of a complaint, QM shall confirm whether the complaint relates to certification activities that it is responsible for and, if so, shall deal with it. If the complaint relates to a certified client, then examination of the complaint shall consider the effectiveness of the certified management system.
• Any valid complaint about a certified client shall also be referred by the BCI to the certified client in question at an appropriate time
• The certification body shall have a documented process to receive, evaluate and make decisions on complaints. This process shall be subject to requirements for confidentiality, as it relates to the complainant and to the subject of the complaint
• The complaints-handling process shall include at least the following elements and methods
1. an outline of the process for receiving, validating, investigating the complaint, and for deciding what actions need to be taken in response to it;
2. tracking and recording complaints, including actions undertaken in response to them;
3. ensuring that any appropriate correction and corrective action are taken.

Note: - ISO 10002 provides guidance for complaints handling

• BCI receiving the complaint shall be responsible for gathering and verifying all necessary information to validate the complaint
• Unless the complaint is submitted online, a copy of the complaint shall be marked to complainant too, in other conditions, whenever possible and complaint is maintainable, QM shall acknowledge receipt of the complaint, and shall provide the complainant with progress reports and the result of the complaint
• The decision to be communicated to the complainant shall be made by, or reviewed and approved by, individual(s) not previously involved in the subject of the complaint if the complaint is related to BCI or certified client of BCI.
• Whenever possible, QM shall give formal notice of the end of the complaints-handling process to the complainant
• The CEO shall determine, together with the certified client and the complainant, whether and, if so, to what extent, the subject of the complaint and its resolution shall be made public.

Complaint Process

• Any complaint can be filed by providing details on the website of the BCI in thecomplaint section or by writing a mail to" britishcertifications9@gmail.com . Any complaint not filed online shall be recorded in the website automatically and a unique complaint number shall be allocated to the complainant, within 05 days QM / ED shall review the complaint and shall ensure action plan and acknowledgement of the same shall be sent to client directly from the website. Status of the complaint is always visible to the client for the next 2 years.
• Complaint can be filed in respect of following:
1. Details of the certified client is not publicly available
2. Publicly available information is incorrect or misleading
3. Company have no system in place
4. Integrity Violation
5. System / Procedure Violation
6. Any other complaint

Note: Nature of the complaint may be added or deleted to ensure suitability and right to add or delete the complaint shall remain with the CEO.

• Client need to provide minimum following documents
1. Certificate number if client is certified
2. Name of the company under reference (If Any)
3. Complainant name
4. Complaint mail id
5. Contact number of the complainant
6. Relationship with the company under reference
7. Nature of complaint
8. Details of complaint
• Any complaint filed shall be immediately issued a unique complaint tracking id number in YYYYMMDDNN where YYYY is the year of filling complaint MM is month and DD is date of filing complaint and NN is the complaint number.

• Date of filing complaint shall be automatically recorded in the software.Complainants may track the complaint status and may get in touch with the BCI or CEO directly if not satisfied with the response of the primary team.

• Copy of the mail shall be sent to the complainant, in case the complaint does not get the copy of the mail, they are advised to check their spam too, despite in case mail is not received, complainant are advised to please write a mail in the above format to:  britishcertifications9@gmail.com
• All the complaints shall be verified in 05 (five) working days by Manager Finance and if complaints are found considerable the same shall be acknowledged. In case any other clarification is required, Manager Finance shall start communication with the complainant and shall understand the complaint. If its minor problem (Details of the certified client is not publicly available and Publicly available information is incorrect or misleading) which have no impact or low in nature shall be analysed and resolved by Manager Finance in 5 working days. In case issue substantial system failure (i.e. Companies have no system in place, Integrity Violation, System / Procedure Violation) this shall be discussed with the CEO and action shall be taken in discussion with the CEO. In case CEO is not available in the office, QM shall be consulted and as early CEO is available in the office, a list of complaints shall be presented before the CEO.

• If the complaint relates to the certified client:

1. The CEO must ensure that the effectiveness of the certified management system is checked by competent auditor(s), who were not involved with the client previously. 
2. The letter in question is sent to a certified client within 14 days of receiving a complaint and recorded in the complaint register. The tracking and recording complaints, including actions undertaken in response to them, is maintained by manager finance on the portal and backup is recorded from time to time.
• If the complaint is about certified client management system
• The CEO ensures that the effectiveness of the certified management system is checked by competent auditor(s)/person(s) who were not involved with the client previously.
• The concerned auditors may be summoned to confirm the facts if it relates to certification activity.
• After root cause analysis, method to eliminate cause of complaint would be arrived at and suitable corrective and preventive measures instituted
• If the complaint is against an officer of BCI including the CEO then it will be investigated by the chairman of the Impartial Committee. The complaint shall be closed within 45 days of the receiving of the complaint.
• Manager finance in consultation with the CEO or QM shall submit a reply to the complainant or may seek further information and may treat the complaint.
• Status of the complaint shall be made available and complainant may search the complaint status by entering unique complaint number, following number shall be made available to the complainant:
1. Name of complainant
2. Company name under reference
3. Complaint Date
4. Complaint Status
5. Remark of the BCI
6. Response date

• In case of any complaints CEO shall monitor:
1. Promptness and effectiveness of the actions. Taken in respect of the complaint received, ensure its prompt disposal.
2. Ensure that the complainant is advised of the result of the investigation within Five days of the receipt of the complaint.
3. All complaints, after redress & disposal, shall be closed through a closing note / closing call by the Manager in consultation with QM/CEO.
4. Ensures that any appropriate correction and corrective action are taken and also suitable preventive action is taken to avoid recurrence of such cases.
5. Ensure that Effectiveness of the measures adopted are covered during the Management Review Meeting
6. The entire process to be followed meets the requirement of confidentiality as it relates to the complaint and to the subject of the complaint. The complaints are recorded in the complaint register.
7. Gather and verify all necessary information to validate the complaint.
8. Ensures that the acknowledgement of receipt of the complaint is sent to the complainant and is informed about the progress and outcome of the result in writing every month till its closure.
9. Ensures that the decision communicated to the complainant is made reviewed and approved by the individual(s) not previously involved in the subject of the complaint.
10. Give formal notice of the end of the complaints-handling process to the complainant.
11. Ensures with the client and the complainant to the extent to which a complaint may be made publicly available.
12. Ensure that the complaint has been closed within the 45 days of the receiving of the complaints.