Recertification involves the assessment and decision activities needed to continue certification into a further cycle where the applicable programme uses that structure. It should be planned as a review of the management system, not treated as an automatic administrative renewal.
Start before the deadline becomes urgent
Find out the applicable programme dates and allow time for planning, assessment, any required responses and a decision. A certificate’s printed expiry date is not an appropriate first reminder to begin the process.
Ask the certification body what information is needed and when. Explain changes in the business and any edition-transition question so that those issues can be considered in the proposed arrangements.
Look at the organization as it is now
The system at recertification may be different from the one initially assessed. Activities may have expanded, suppliers may have changed, new sites may have opened and responsibilities may have moved. Review the intended scope against the actual operation.
A scope statement retained for familiarity can become misleading if it no longer describes the business. Conversely, adding broad terms without supporting assessment can imply coverage that has not been established.
Prepare a meaningful account of performance
Consider how the system has operated over the relevant period. What recurring issues were identified? Which changes improved the way work is controlled? What has management learned from internal evaluation, customer feedback or other relevant information?
The purpose of preparing this account is not to produce a promotional success story. Include unresolved matters and explain how they are being handled. Evidence of a management system should reflect the real organization, including its challenges.
Coordinate related decisions
If the organization is considering a change of certification body, another standard or a scope expansion, discuss the relationship between those decisions and recertification. Do not assume that a transfer, an integrated assessment and a renewal all use the same route.
Where a standard edition has changed, confirm the applicable transition arrangements. A plan should identify the requirements under which the next assessment will occur rather than rely on a guess based on the calendar year.
What if the certificate expires?
Do not continue representing an expired record as current certification. Ask the issuing body what process applies to the actual circumstances and communicate the status accurately to parties relying on it. This article does not promise a grace period or an automatic right to reinstatement.
A recertification preparation list
- Confirm the current scope and site schedule.
- Identify organizational and operational changes.
- Review earlier findings and the effectiveness of responses.
- Make relevant performance and management-review information available.
- Clarify edition, programme and decision timing.
- Plan how updated certificate details will replace superseded public material.
For an EQRM enquiry, contact us with the current certificate details. See the process overview and transfer guidance where relevant.
Plan renewal around dependencies
Place the current expiry date, proposed assessment window, internal readiness review and response responsibilities on one plan. Identify when the certification body needs information about changes to the scope. Leave room for the actual review and decision process. Completing a visit close to expiry is not the same as completing recertification before expiry.
Quick answers
Is recertification automatic?
No. Continuing certification involves the assessment and decision activities required by the applicable programme.
When should renewal planning begin?
Begin early enough to agree the programme and address issues before relevant dates. Obtain the actual timetable from the issuing body rather than relying on a generic deadline.