The certification journey

The certification journey

Your certification journey begins with your first contact with us, and continues beyond the point you have your certificate in hand. Understanding each stage will help you prepare.

1. Quotation

Based on your organization’s needs, we provide you a customized quote for a certification program.

2. Contract agreement

Signature of the contract kicks off the main phases of the certification process.

3. Transfer process
If you are transitioning from another certification body to Bureau Veritas, our project managers support you in completing the transfer process. Find out more about the transfer process

4. Audit preparation
During this step, our team works with you to design the right audit schedule for your organization. Careful management of audit timing is key to avoiding disruptions in certification continuity or premature completion of the audit cycle.

5. Audit
This is the main certification event of the year. Our auditors will visit your premises to evaluate the implementation and effectiveness of your organization’s management systems.

6. Your audit report
Following the audit, you will receive a detailed audit report by the lead auditor. It compiles the findings, and describes any non-conformities. A draft is provided a few days after the audit, followed by a final version delivered upon the closure of any non-conformities.

7. Non-conformity closure
You will have a designated amount of time to perform necessary corrective actions in the case of any non-conformities. For most standards, non-conformities must be corrected within 90 days of the completion of the audit.

8. Certification decision
This is the culmination of your certification journey. Once all non-conformities have been adequately addressed, a final report is issued and sent to a qualified certification decision-maker, who, provided everything is fine, will issue your certification decision. Your certificate will be delivered within 30 days of the official closure of all non-conformities, and no later than 120 days after the completion of the audit.

9. Surveillance
Initial certification is followed by two annual surveillance audits. During a surveillance audit, our auditors confirm that your organization continues to meet the requirements of the given standard. There is some flexibility in the scheduling of these audits. We work with you to schedule them for maximal certification continuity.

10. Invoicing
Following completion of the audit, you will be sent an invoice.

11. Recertification
After the initial three-year certification cycle, your certification journey continues with a recertification audit – and the next three-year cycle.