Clear steps, defined evidence and transparent outcomes.
The value of any certification route rests on the strength of its process. Our approach is deliberately clear, proportionate and auditable.
Requirement review
We review the objective, the standard requested, customer or tender wording, site structure and likely suitability of a non-UKAS route.
Scope and document review
We define the intended scope and review policies, procedures, records, responsibilities, risk controls and existing evidence.
Audit activity
We assess how the management system works in practice through interview, document review and record sampling.
Certification decision
Where the evidence supports conformity, certification is issued, recorded and published in the verification register.
Findings categories
- Conformity: the requirement is met and evidenced.
- Observation: the system is working, but improvement could strengthen control.
- Minor nonconformity: a requirement is not fully met, but the overall system remains functional.
- Major nonconformity: a significant gap that prevents certification until addressed.
Governance matters
Good governance means more than a certificate template. Clients and buyers should be able to see how decisions are reached, how complaints are handled, how certificates can be suspended or withdrawn and how conflicts of interest are managed.
View certification rules