Information on management system certifications

The measures we have taken ensure that your certification(s) remain valid and that the requirements of the DAkkS (Deutsche Akkreditierungsstelle GmbH) for accredited certification continue to be met.

Until further notice, the audit will therefore be carried out using a two-stage procedure. This includes

• a remote audit at the scheduled date and time and a
• on-site or remote audit to be carried out at a later date.

Remote audits are those in which the audit can be carried out remotely in the usual time frame with the help of appropriate technical and communication measures, which we explain in the following.

If a recertification is pending, you will receive an interim report after the remote audit, which must take place before the certificate expires, and a one-time certificate extension of 6 months. The on-site or another remote audit must be carried out within this period. The result of a risk analysis considering criteria like the general ability to collect sufficient audit data or legal regulations decides, which audit type must be chosen. After completion of the recertification process you will receive the final audit report and a certificate with the remaining term of the original 3 years.

If the first or second surveillance audit is due, you will receive an interim report and notification of the continuation of your certification after the remote audit, which must be carried out within the normally scheduled period. The on-site or an another remote audit (see above) must be carried out within the following 3 months. After completion of the monitoring procedure, you will receive the final audit report and the information on maintaining and continuing your certification until the next scheduled audit.

Invoicing is done separately for the two stages of the procedure. Important for you: Due to the two-stage procedure you will not incur any additional costs in total.

As a rule, we use so-called remote audit techniques (RAT) such as video conferencing systems and/or secure applications (e.g. Teams, Face Time, Zoom) for the remote audit. This enables the access to management system documentation and associated records necessary for an accreditation-compliant audit. Contractual regulations for the use of RAT can be found in the VdS-guidelines VdS 2343, among others.

If the use of the above-mentioned remote audit techniques is not possible, the remote audit can be carried out alternatively by means of a telephone connection and the prior or simultaneous sending of assessable documents by e-mail.

The two-stage procedure is also applicable for multi-site procedures in accordance with VdS-guidelines 2836. Remote audits and, if given, on-site audits must be carried out at both the central office (head office) and the connected sites (branch offices) in accordance with the defined sample size. Your auditor will contact you promptly with regard to detailed audit planning and execution.

Especially in crisis situations a lived and certified management system ensures the maintenance and further existence of your company. We will be happy to answer any further questions you may have in order to provide you with the best possible support as a strong partner even in times of special challenges.

Our management as well as all our auditors are equipped in such a way that we are also able to work outside our office. You can still reach us by telephone and email during normal business hours.

We thank you for your confidence in our services and wish you all the best for the coming period.