Phase 1

Application Review and Contract

Once our sales team receives an application, start communicating with the client to accumulate the required information. This information is essential to ensure that the organisation is firstly eligible to claim that specific scheme’s certificate. Secondly, an adequate audit time and appropriate audit team will be prepared and nominated.

Our client will be notified about all decisions made at this stage.

Thereupon, a formal agreement will be concluded between the two parties.

The contract will be including the following information:

• Full details of the client
• Scope of the audit
• Audit frequency
• Audit service fee
• AVA T&C

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Phase 2

Initial audit-stage 1

The stage 1 audit shall be conducted for all schemes to confirm the acceptable level of compliance with the relevant standards. At this stage, our audit team will verify whether the documentation required for each scheme complies with the requirements, and the organisation is ready to proceed to stage 2.

Based on the audit scope, our planning team will nominate an expert and knowledgeable team to ensure if any gap exists will be identified and rectified.

Once an audit accomplishes, our audit team will prepare a comprehensive report through our intelligent platform (AMS) and handover to you as soon as practicable. The report will include the gaps or areas for improvement (if any exist) that need to be rectified before the next stage.

The stage1 of the audit must be carried out 6-10 (±2) weeks before the stage2. However, based on the outcome of the stage1 audit, this time may need to be adjusted. If either the result of stage1 does not make sufficient or a significant change occurred in the organization a repeat stage1 audit may need to be scheduled.

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Phase 3

Initial audit-stage 2

The stage2 audit basically evaluates the implementation, including effectiveness, of the client organization’s management system. At this stage, our audit team will verify whether the organization has fulfilled the schemes’ relevant requirements and can proceed with the certification.

Based on the audit outcome, the audit team leader will recommend the organisation for certification. Before granting the certificate, our technical team conducted a formal technical review to verify the accuracy of the audit process.

AVA Certification has specified 12 weeks as a timeframe to address the nonconformities.

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Phase 4

Surveillance Audits

The primary purpose of the surveillance audits is to ensure compliance with the schemes is maintained.

Each certificate has validity for three years from the issue date. Throughout these three years, we carry out the surveillance audits to verify that the management system is entirely in compliance with the standards(s) requirements or not.

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Phase 5

Recertification

The purpose of the recertification audit is to confirm the continued conformity and effectiveness of the management system as a whole, and its continued relevance and applicability for the scope of certification.

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Phase 6

Special Audits

In some cases, a short notice audit may require. The certified entities can ask for scope extension or reduction at any time. Also, a follow-up audit may need to verify the effectiveness of corrective action.

If a short-notice audit requires, AVA Certification will communicate the audit stages and other relevant applicable requirements to the client. This correspondence also includes the fees and contract amendment.

Due to the client’s inability to object to audit team members, The audit team typically is nominated by the technical manager or certification manager. The audit team will be inducted to understand how these special audits must be carried out.