4.1       OBJECTIVE 

            To decide the method of Suspending, withdrawing, restoring or expanding,  reducing the scope of certification

     4.2   CRITERION:

               The Americo suspends certification in cases when, 

·         The client’s certified management system has persistently or seriously failed to meet certification requirements, including requirements for the effectiveness of the management system,

·         The certified clients does not allow surveillance or recertification audits to be conducted at the required frequencies, or

·         The certified client has voluntarily requested a suspension.

·         If clients does not follow the agreed terms and conditions for certification services.

4.3       RESPONSIBILITY

 The key responsibility lies with Director Certifications 

4.4         EXECUTION

                When information is received from either by customer or auditor regarding the suspension, Americo sends the suspension of certification letter to the client for the period of  one month.

·         Issue a suspension letter to the client. Stating reason, suspension period etc.

·         Under suspension the client’s management system certification is temporarily invalid, the Americo have made enforceable arrangements with its client to ensure that in case of suspension the client refrains from further promotions of its certification. The AMERICO has established a method for putting the information of suspension of certificate on website to make publicly accessible the suspended status of the certification and takes any other measures it deems appropriate.

·         If within the given period of time the customer resolves the issue and asking for reassessment of the management system for continuation of the certificate, the operations manger arranges the assessment arrangement.

·         Failure to resolve the issues that have resulted in the suspension in time established by the Americo maximum period can be given four weeks only, result in withdrawal or reduction of the scope of certification.

·         Communication of the same to stop the use of same Certification Logo to all concerns.

·         Inform the client for not using the certification status during the period of suspension 

·         If the client does not respond within the suspension period. The same information is put up in front of certification committee. Upon approval of certification committee, the request is send to Director Certifications for authorization to withdrawal of certificate. Upon the withdrawal of the client the status of client on Americo website is changed to withdrawn. 

·         Withdrawn certificate is collected and destroyed as per the procedure established in for control of records i.e. by shredding/tearing to avoid the misuse of the certificate. 

·         If client responds within the suspension period with appropriate corrective action , the certification committee restores the certification and status of americo website www.americocert.com is changed to Active.

·         Americo reduces the client’s scope of certification to exclude that part not meeting the requirements, when the client has persistently or seriously failed to meet the certification requirements for those parts of the scope of certification. Any such reduction is in line with requirements of the standard used for the certification.

·         In case of scope expansion requests by client , AMERICO conducts a scope expansion audit and checks evidences related to the same. If the audit is successful , the scope is expanded and updated on www.americocert.com website.

·          Americo has enforceable arrangements with the certified client concerning conditions of withdrawal, ensuring upon notice of withdrawal of certification that the client discontinues its use of all advertising matter that contains any reference to a certified status.

·         Upon request by any party, the certification body  correctly state the status of certification of a client’s management system as being suspended, withdrawal or reduced.

·         On suspension of client, the status on www.americocert.com website is changed to suspended for the client