Complaints, conflicts and appeals

Complaints

Definition

DARE!! Certification defines a complaint as:
“Every action carried out by the customer or any other party that indicates directly or indirectly that he is not satisfied with some aspect of the certification activities of DARE!! Certification”.

Handling

Complaints are handled with care by DARE!! Certification. The treatment is based on a policy in which is described how the complaint is solved. It is our experience that careful handling of complaints is beneficial to the complaining party as well as to DARE!! Certification. Another important aspect is the learning effect and the possibility to improve our performance.

Conflict

Definition

DARE!! Certification defines a conflict as:

“A specific complaint from the customer or any other party with regard to a certification decision made by DARE!! Certification”.

Handling
A conflict is a complaint that specifically concerns a certification decision. Complaints against a certification decision must be presented on paper and must be accompanied by a clear, specific and supporting description of the complaint. It must be clear to DARE!! Certification why and based on what arguments D.A.R.E!! Certification should have reached a different decision.

A conflict is handled according to the same procedure as a complaint with the following additions:

• The re-assessment will be performed by a different person than the original assessment
• The results of this re-assessment will be formulated into a report.
• Based on the result of the re-assessment the certification can be changed.
• The report is offered to the person who filed the complaint and, when different, to the certificate holder.

Explanation: No specific information will be given to third parties involving the certification or the certified product. It will only be assessed if the certificate process is followed correctly and, based on the supplied material, whether or not the correct certification decision could be made and if the correct certification decision has been made. Hereby the specific complaint is properly being taken into account.

Appeal

Definition

DARE!! Certification defines an appeal as:

“A conflict which is not resolved after the conflict procedure is followed. This results in a formal appeal case”.

Handling

For the certificate holder as well as an eventual third party there is a possibility to lodge an appeal against the outcome of the conflict appraisal. This appeal must be presented on paper by recorded delivery within 10 working days. The appeal will be submitted to the interest committee together with the all the documentation from the initial assessment and the re-assessment. The interest committee will pronounce a binding sentence within 20 working days. The interest committee only looks at the followed procedure, if a decision can be made based on the available information and if the decision is made correctly.