Legal
Complaints and appeals
Complaints and Appeals
Complaints should be addressed to the Quality Manager of Normec BTV Audit, Roderveldlaan 2, 2600 Berchem (Antwerp).
Appeals should be addressed to the Chairperson of the Impartiality Committee of Normec BTV Audit, Roderveldlaan 2, 2600 Berchem (Antwerp). All appeals are reported to BeSaCC-VCA.
The Impartiality Committee
Normec BTV Audit has assembled a group of experts in the Impartiality Committee, which ensures that Normec BTV Audit grants certifications impartially and that various stakeholders have a voice in the certification activities and the organization of the certification process. The Impartiality Committee can provide advice both upon request and on its own initiative.
All correspondence can be sent to:
Impartiality Committee Normec BTV Audit
Attn: The Chairperson
Roderveldlaan 2, 2600 Berchem (Antwerp)
Procedure
1. Registration of complaints and appeals
Each complaint or appeal is reported upon receipt to the Quality Manager, who is responsible for registering and creating an individual file in which all documents related to the handling of the case are stored. In the case of an appeal, it is verified whether it was submitted within 10 working days from the date of the decision or measure. If not, the appeal is rejected. The secretariat confirms receipt of the complaint or appeal in writing within 5 working days to the applicant.
2. Handling of complaints and appeals
The case file is submitted, and an investigation is initiated to determine the cause of the complaint or appeal. For the handling of a complaint, the director or an authorized representative who was not involved in the certification case is appointed. For the handling of an appeal, the chairperson of the Impartiality Committee is informed so that the necessary steps can be taken. If the complaint or appeal is found to be justified, a thorough analysis of the cause will be conducted, and appropriate corrective and/or preventive measures will be defined and implemented. For appeals related to VCA, the UCvD-VCA is always informed. In all cases, a written and reasoned response is sent to the applicant within 6 weeks, after which the complaint or appeal is considered resolved.
3. Actions resulting from the handling of complaints and appeals
Complaints about a Certified or Applicant Organization If a complaint is filed against a certified organization or an applicant organization, Normec BTV Audit will contact the organization and provide them with the opportunity to investigate the cause of the complaint. If necessary, Normec BTV Audit will conduct its own investigation into the root cause of the complaint. If the complaint is deemed admissible, the case will be reassessed immediately to determine whether a notice of default, withdrawal, or suspension—whether in full or in part—of the certification is necessary. In such cases, the costs of the reassessment will be borne by the certified organization. VCA: Any changes to the validity of the certificate will be published on the BeSaCC-VCA website.
4. Actions Resulting from the Handling of Complaints and Appeals
Appeal If the decision of Normec BTV Audit is overturned as a result of an appeal, Normec BTV Audit will take the necessary measures to restart or complete the certification process at its own expense. In this case: VCA: Any changes to the validity of the certificate, as published on the VCA-Besacc website, will be retroactively adjusted if necessary. Actions resulting from the handling of complaints and appeals must not be discriminatory toward the applicant.
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