AXISCERT’S POLICY FOR SUSPENSION, WITHDRAWAL OR REDUCTION OF THE SCOPE OF CERTIFICATION
Upon review of AxisCert’s audit reports and subsequent verification, Axis Certification (AxisCert) is authorized to suspend client certification under the following conditions:
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The AxisCert certified client has requested a voluntary suspension in writing.
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The AxisCert certified client does not allow surveillance or recertification audits to be conducted at the required frequencies as mentioned in the contract.
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The AxisCert certified client’s management system has persistently or seriously failed to meet certification requirements, including requirements for the effectiveness of the management system identified during surveillance audits.
AxisCert ensures that the suspended status of a certification is publicly accessible (via the AxisCert website) and communicated to the client in writing.
If, within one month of suspension or within the time limit specified by AxisCert, the issues that led to suspension are not resolved, AxisCert will make a decision to either withdraw the certification or reduce its scope. This decision is formally communicated to the client, and the updated status is reflected on the AxisCert website.
Upon verification of audit reports and subsequent on-site assessments, AxisCert may reduce a client’s scope of certification to exclude those elements not meeting the certification requirements when the client has persistently or seriously failed to comply for those parts of the scope. AxisCert ensures that any reduction is consistent with the requirements of the standards used for certification.
A management system certification under suspension becomes temporarily invalid. AxisCert enforces contractual arrangements with its clients to ensure that, during suspension, the client refrains from promoting or advertising its certification status.
AxisCert also enforces contractual arrangements with its certified clients to ensure that, upon notice of withdrawal of certification, the client immediately discontinues the use of all advertising or promotional material containing references to their certified status, in accordance with the certification agreement.
