Purpose

To define the process of receiving and resolving the appeals, complaints

Objective

To ensure that appropriate correction and as required corrective actions are taken in response to appeals and complaints received by DAPL.

Scope

Applicable to appeals and complaints received by DAPL from clients, customers of clients, or any other interested parties.

Responsibility

CEO is responsible for handling of appeals and complaints till resolution and for any communication to the appellant / complainant. Director technical shall form the Appeal Complaint committee comprise of auditors who are not involved in audit or technical decision.

CEO is responsible for ensuring that all appeals and complaints are investigated and resolved

Definitions

Appeal

Reconsideration of any adverse decision of DAPL attributable to office activities or on-site- audit activities Request received for.

Complaint

Dissatisfaction communicated to DAPL which may be attributable to office activities or on-site audit activities.

Procedure

This procedure is accessible to public through web site www.delanoassessment.com 

Appeals

DAPL takes responsibility for all its decisions at all levels in the handling of appeals. It is ensured that personnel engaged in the appeals- handling process are different from those who carried out audits and made the certification decisions.

Appeals handling process

The appeal can be received by post, e-mail, fax, written. On receipt of an appeal, it is responsibility of DAPL management to evaluate gathers and verifies all necessary information to validate the appeal. The appeal is recorded, acknowledged and communicated to the appellant by AC committee. 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:

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;

tracking and recording appeals, including actions undertaken to resolve them;

Ensuring that any appropriate correction and corrective action are taken.

DAPL receiving the appeal shall be responsible for gathering and verifying all necessary information to validate the appeal.

DAPL 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.

DAPL will give formal notice to the appellant of the end of the appeals handling process.

AC committee carries out investigation of the appeal taking into account results of previous similar appeals. AC committee submits a report indicating the results of investigation and the actions to be taken as well as the reply to be sent to the client. 

The final decision is made by AC committee on the basis of the review of report received from AC committee/Nominee. In case AC committee was previously involved in the certification decision related to appeal, the decision is taken by another nominated person who was not previously involved in the specific certification audit / decision process.

AC committee tracks and records the actions taken and the appellant is kept informed by AC committee on the progress till the appeal is resolved. At the end of appeal handling process, formal notice is given to the appellant by AC committee.

AC committee would ensure that appropriate correction and corrective actions are identified and implemented where required.

AC committee ensures that submission, investigation and decision on appeals shall not result in any discriminatory actions against the appellants.

AC committee submits his report to director technical and the decision will be communicated to the appellant.

The progress report shall be send to appellant and request him for the feedback within fifteen days. If the complainant does not come back it means the appeal is solved. If the appellant is not satisfied with the outcome of Advisory committee on his appeal or undue delay then he/she can approach to accreditation board. Accreditation board will be informed regarding all appeal that is not resolved/ appellant is not satisfied within three months.

This shall be shown and discuss with impartiality committee.

Confidentiality shall be maintained throughout.

Complaints

The complaint can be received by post, e-mail, fax, written. We will only accept such complaints with proper identification of the person.  DAPL management is responsible for all decisions at all levels of the complaints handling process. On receipt of complaint, AC committee evaluates gathers and verifies all necessary information to validate the complaint. In case it is confirmed that the complaint relates to certification activities, AC committee shall initiate investigation. 

Director technical ensures that the submission, investigation and decision on complaints shall not result in any discriminatory actions against the complainant; Persons engaged in complaints handling process are different from those who carried out audits and made the certification decisions.

If the valid complaint is about certified clients, it will be communicated to the concerned client at an appropriate time. The complaint is recorded, acknowledged and communicated to the complainant by AC committee.

Complaints are investigated by AC committee for deciding actions to be taken in response to the complaint.

In case the complaint is against the certified client, the investigation shall consider the effectiveness of certified management system and any actions required are decided by AC committee.

AC committee implements the actions decided and track the actions taken till its completion. AC committee also ensures that corrections and appropriate corrective actions are implemented and completed where required.

Whenever possible, AC committee communicates the progress on the actions to the complainant and at the end of complaint closure; formal notice is given to the complainant.

The above activities of complaint handling process are subjected to requirement for confidentiality as it relates to the complainant and to the subject of the complaint.

The final report shall be send to complainant within forty five days and request him for the feedback within f. if the complainant does not come back it means the complaint is solved. If the complainant is not satisfied with the outcome of Advisory committee on his complaint or undue delay then he/she can approach to accreditation board. All complaints that are not resolved within three months of the agreed timeframe (aged complaints) are transferred to accreditation board
original complaint
records of the review of the complaint
response to the complainant
Any other records that inform the background to the complaint.

AC committee shall determine, together with client and complainant, whether and, if so to what extent, the subject of the complaint and its resolution shall be made public.

Corrective actions as required are dealt with as per procedure (Corrective and Preventive Action)

Confidentiality shall be maintained throughout.

This shall be shown and discuss with impartiality committee.