Any organization interested in the certification of its management system may apply to VISCOUNT.
VISCOUNT gets the information about its organizational structure, activity, products or services to be covered by the management system to be certified, etc. This information may be taken on a preliminary questionnaire.
VISCOUNT will propose the certification conditions, which are finalized in a quotation. These conditions will define at least:
At the applicant's request, the certification process may include pre-audit of the management system, which is to be certified. Pre-audit man-days shall not exceed certification audit man-days. VISCOUNT cannot carry out more than one pre-audit of the management system, which is to be certified.
Upon agreement, the applicant will fill in and sign the agreement or provide a purchase order.
The provisions of the purchase order will neither be contrary to the requirements of the VISCOUNT’s agreement nor the current General Regulations.
After receipt of the order, VISCOUNT develops an audit programme for the full certification cycle identifying each audit activity. An audit plan of the audit activities is sent to the applicant before each audit.
An auditor reviews the documented information of the management system before or during the site visit.
The stage 1 site visit mainly involves the applicant's management representative.
During stage 1, arrangements shall be made about:
After the completion of Stage 1 audit, the auditor shall provide the organization a report including audit findings and any areas of concern that could be classified as nonconformity during the stage 2 audit. The auditor shall provide the stage 2 audit plan as well. For more detail, please read Viscount General Regulations.
During the certification audit, the appointed auditors conduct a process approach audit and verify that the management system described in the documented management system documentation such as procedures is effectively implemented and in compliance with the requirements of the reference normative document. The personnel involved in the management system are interviewed, and the relevant management reports are analyzed. In this phase, all levels of responsibility are involved, and the audit is conducted on the applicant's premises and other premises if these areas are relevant to the agreed scope of the audit.
The Administration of VISCOUNT prepares the certification file (or soft folder), to be presented to VISCOUNT’s Reviewing Lead Auditor. A certification file contains all information concerning the applicant, the contractual agreement, the audit report and the recommendation and any additional comment from the audit team regarding the applicant and the audited management system.
VISCOUNT’s Reviewing Lead Auditor reviews the certification file for decision. The Reviewing Lead Auditor is a senior-auditors with veto right. If necessary, the concerned auditors will be consulted as well. In each case, the Reviewing Lead Auditor decides either to grant a certificate and under what conditions, or to refuse the certification and for what reasons.
The certification decision is communicated to the applicant(client). When granted, the effective date of issuance of the certificate is the date of the certification decision. The certificate is valid for 3 years maximum.
The granting of a certificate is refused when the Reviewing Lead Auditor decides that the management system implemented substantially deviates from the requirements of the reference standard. Evidence of deviation could be:
After a positive decision for certification, VISCOUNT issues the certificate(s).
The maintenance program consists of a sequence of surveillance audits on site. There should be not more than 12 months between the first surveillance audit and the previous renewal or initial certification audit.
During a surveillance audit, a number of elements defined at the certification audit have to be re-verified. These elements will be spread over the several surveillance audits in such a way that all the relevant items will be covered within the scope of the maintenance program. The maintenance program shall include at least:
The surveillance audit report and the auditor recommendation are submitted to the Reviewing Lead Auditor for further decision in the following cases:
Three months before the end of the validity period of a given certificate, VISCOUNT issues a proposal for the renewal of the certificate.
The renewal process is comparable to the original certification. However, the program takes account of the knowledge gained of the management system to re-assess and the General Regulations in force at the date of the renewal proposal are applicable.
The renewal audit on site should be conducted like the initial certification stage 2 audit and should also address the following:
Note: For detailed certification process please read Viscount General Regulations.
ISO 9001:2015 – Quality Management System
VISCOUNT provides accredited quality system certification services for ISO 9001:2015 standard for the quality management system. Quality management system standards are considered strategic tools for a business that reduce costs by minimizing waste and errors and increasing productivity.
They help companies to access new markets and facilitate free and fair trade.
VISCOUNT helps its clients by providing authentication to their claims of quality. It performs quality system certification and auditing in an independent, professional, and competent manner. VISCOUNT auditing services meet requirements for conformity assessment as provided in ISO / IEC 17021:2015 standard. By providing accredited certification services, VISCOUNT provides confidence that the client organization has a quality management system that conforms to the applicable requirements of ISO 9001, which is effectively maintained and is able to detect and correct any non-conforming products / services. This builds confidence and provides assurance to the customers of the certified company about the quality of the product / services being purchased.
ISO 14001:2015 – Environmental Management System
Organizations implement EMS or Environmental Management System based on requirements of ISO 14001:2015 standard. By doing so, they aim to reduce waste which is emissions and discharges from their industrial processes which pollute the soil, air, and water. In other words, they reduce their environmental footprints and the associated cost. Implementing environmental system helps reduce the use of raw materials, reduces consumption of energy, reduces waste generation and disposal cost, improves process efficiency and promotes sustainability.
This projects a socially responsible corporate image of the organization amongst its regulators, its customers, and the public.
Environmental management systems certification provides a number of benefits to the organizations. EMS certification is an independent and professional assessment of the claimed system which in turn gives assurance to the customers, regulators, and other stakeholders of the client company. This gives confidence and provides assurance to the customers of the certified company who want to do business with environmentally and socially responsible companies.
VISCOUNT provides accredited environmental system certification services for ISO 14001 standard for the environmental management system. VISCOUNT helps its clients by providing authentication to their claims of environmental performance. VISCOUNT provides environmental system certification and auditing services in an independent, professional, and competent manner.
ISO 45001:2018 – Occupational Health and Safety Management System
Industrial activities are inherently hazardous and could pose unacceptable risk of harm to the persons working in the organizations. Thus, organizations worldwide give primary importance to the protection and well-being of their employees. Accidents resulting in injury or harm have adverse consequences both for the organizations and their employees. These could be financial, loss of business and reputation. Therefore, organizations increasingly are implementing occupational health and safety (OH&S) systems which establish internationally acceptable best practices in OH & S.
VISCOUNT is one of the major Certification Body operating internationally which provides ISO 45001:2018 occupational health and safety system certification and conformance assessment services. These services are internationally recognized and accepted. Certification services of VISCOUNT are known for their exacting standards and good quality. VISCOUNT uses auditors who are well qualified and add value to the systems of the client organizations.