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Policy Statement
TUV United is committed to ensuring that only organizations that comply with the applicable certification requirements maintain their certification. Certification may be suspended, withdrawn, or reduced in scope if a certified client fails to maintain compliance. The process for taking such actions shall be impartial, documented, and consistently applied to all clients.
Suspension
A temporary invalidation of certification due to non-compliance or failure to meet certification requirements. Normally resolvable within 6 months.
Withdrawal
A permanent revocation of certification when a client fails to resolve suspension issues, voluntarily withdraws, ceases operations, or deliberately misuses certification.
Reduction of Scope
Specific activities, sites, or products are removed from the certification scope due to non-compliance or organizational changes, while the rest of the certification remains valid.
Section 1
Suspension of Certification
Conditions
Persistent or serious failure to meet certification requirements
Refusal to allow required surveillance or recertification audits
Client voluntarily requests suspension in writing
Serious failure to meet OH&S certification requirements
Effects
Certification is temporarily invalid
Client must not claim certification or use the mark during suspension
TUV United updates publicly accessible records to reflect suspended status
Restoring Certification
Certification restored if client resolves the issue — normally within 6 months
Failure to resolve within the timeframe leads to withdrawal or scope reduction
Section 2
Withdrawal of Certification
Conditions for Withdrawal
Failure to resolve suspension issues within the required timeframe
Client ceases operations in the certified scope
Deliberate misuse of certification (fraud, misrepresentation of scope)
Client voluntarily requests withdrawal in writing
Serious failure to meet OH&S certification requirements
Effects of Withdrawal
Certification is permanently invalid
Client must return the original certificate to TUV United
All certification marks must be removed from all promotional materials
TUV United notifies relevant stakeholders (accreditation bodies, regulatory authorities) as applicable
Section 3
Reduction of Scope of Certification
Conditions for Scope Reduction
Persistent or serious failure to meet requirements for specific parts of the certified scope
Client requests scope reduction due to operational changes
Reduction required to maintain compliance with the certification standard
Failure to resolve suspension issues within the timeframe established
Effects of Scope Reduction
Certification remains valid but for a reduced scope only
Client must not claim certification for the excluded areas
TUV United updates publicly accessible records to reflect the revised scope
Any reduction shall be in line with the requirements of the certification standard
4. The Process
🔍 Initiation
TUV United identifies noncompliance through audits, complaints, or voluntary client requests, and assesses the severity of the issue.
📩 Notification
TUV United notifies the client in writing about the intended action, providing full justification and corrective action requirements. A timeframe is established — normally not exceeding 6 months for suspension resolution.
⚖️ Decision Making
If corrective action is successfully taken, certification may be restored. If unresolved, TUV United proceeds with withdrawal or reduction of scope.
📋 Implementation & Record Update
Certification records are updated accordingly. The client is informed of the final decision and required actions. Relevant stakeholders are notified where applicable.
📁 Record Retention
Records of all suspension, withdrawal, and reduction decisions are retained for at least one certification cycle plus one additional cycle. Documentation includes:
Questions About Certification Status?
Contact our Certification Department for any questions regarding the status of your certification or this procedure.
📧 certification@tuvunited.com