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The certification process step by step

Would you like to apply for certification with Brand Compliance? In this step-by-step guide, we explain how the process works: from the first application and providing the required information to the application review, proposal, agreement and audit planning. This guide gives you insight into the steps required to start a certification process carefully and in a structured way.

Step 1: Preparing for the discussion #

After your application, our account manager prepares the discussion. Especially if the certification process is new to your organization, it is important that you know what to expect in advance. To make the discussion as efficient as possible, we ask you to collect the required information beforehand. Would you also like to prepare your organization for certification from a practical perspective? Please also read our certification checklist.

Step 2: Providing the required information #

To process the application for certification, we need a number of details. This concerns the minimum information required to perform a proper application review, including:

  • the basic details of your organization;
  • the legal structure of your organization;
  • a recent extract from the Chamber of Commerce or relevant company register;
  • the scope of certification you would like to have certified;
  • an overview of any outsourced processes within the scope of certification;
  • the number of FTEs working within the scope of certification, including permanent, temporary, part-time, full-time, contracted staff and volunteers;
  • various business and IT factors used to determine the complexity of the audit;
  • if applicable, the name of the consultancy organization involved in the implementation;
  • the timeframe in which you would like to obtain certification;
  • any specific circumstances relating to personnel safety or the availability of information.

If you have questions about this information, you can discuss them with the account manager before or during the meeting.

Step 3: Application review #

Once all required information is complete and the application has been prepared by the account manager, it is submitted to a Brand Compliance employee who performs the application review. This step is part of our application procedure and contributes to safeguarding our independence and quality towards potential and existing clients.

Step 4: Proposal and formal agreement #

Certification process step by step

When the application has been approved, the account manager prepares a proposal. You will receive this together with the certification regulations and information about our accreditations and conditions. It is important to review these documents carefully. If you agree, you return the signed proposal. At that point, the agreement is concluded.

Step 5: Setting up the certification process #

After the agreement has been concluded, the process is transferred to a Customer & Project Coordinator. The proposal is then converted into a concrete certification process. You will then be contacted to schedule the first audit dates, based on the time calculation included in the proposal. Would you like to know what to expect during the audit? Please also read the article Do you have your first certification audit soon?.

For an initial certification audit, the audit process usually consists of a stage 1 audit and a stage 2 audit.

Questions about the steps? #

This step-by-step guide gives you insight into the process of applying for and starting a certification process with Brand Compliance.

Would you like to apply for certification or discuss which first step applies to your organization? Request a certification process. Our account manager will then get in touch with you.