EQRM RESOURCES
Certification terms, made clearer.
Accreditation
Assessment and recognition of a conformity assessment body’s competence for specified activities. Check the actual body, current status and scope rather than relying on the word alone.
Audit
An organized evaluation of evidence against stated criteria. An audit may be carried out internally or by another party, depending on its purpose. A certification audit is not the same as an internal audit or a consultancy engagement.
Audit evidence
Information relevant to evaluating requirements. It can include records, observed activities and information obtained through appropriate interviews. Evidence needs to correspond to the activities and period being considered.
Certification
A third-party attestation concerning conformity within a stated scope. For this website, the subject is an organization’s management system against a specified standard.
Certification decision
The determination about granting, maintaining or changing certification according to the applicable process. An auditor’s visit and a certification decision are not interchangeable events.
Correction and corrective action
A correction addresses an identified problem. Corrective action addresses its cause to help prevent recurrence. Depending on the finding, evidence may be needed for both.
Integrated management system
A coordinated management system addressing more than one subject or standard. Shared processes do not remove subject-specific requirements.
Management review
A planned evaluation by responsible management of the system and the matters relevant to its continuing suitability and effectiveness. A meeting title alone does not demonstrate what was considered or decided.
Nonconformity
A failure to fulfil an applicable requirement. Its significance and the response needed depend on the evidence and the relevant programme.
Recertification
Assessment and decision activities associated with continuing certification into a further cycle, where the programme uses such cycles. It should not be treated as automatic document renewal.
Scope
The boundaries of what is included. A certification scope identifies the relevant activities and may depend on site or other schedules. The scope of accreditation refers to a different level: the activities for which the certification body has been accredited.
Surveillance
Ongoing assessment activities used during a certification cycle to evaluate continued conformity according to the programme.
Suspension and withdrawal
Status changes that affect how certification may be represented. Suspension and withdrawal must not be concealed behind a certificate’s original expiry date. Ask the issuing body about the current status.
Transition
The process of moving from one edition or set of requirements to another. Applicable deadlines and assessment arrangements must be confirmed from the relevant authoritative programme information.
Continue with certification questions or the certification process.
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