This Privacy Notice is effective from 16 Jan 2020

Your privacy is critically important to us. At NIMSSWIZ, we have a few fundamental principles:

1. We limit the collection of data for specific purposes and ensure that we have legitimate and lawful grounds for processing that data.
2. We store personal information for only as long as we have a reason to keep it.
3. We aim to ensure that the data we hold is accurate and up to date.
4. We aim for full transparency on how we gather, use, and share your personal information.
5. We implement security controls specifically to protect personal and sensitive data.

Below is NIMSSWIZ’s privacy policy, which incorporates and clarifies these principles.

6.1 PURPOSE

This procedure defines the appeals & complaints handling procedure of NIMSSWIZ Certifications Pvt. Ltd., as per the requirement of a Certification Body. It describes the systematic and consistent recording, handling, and evaluation of appeals and complaints pertaining to NIMSSWIZ’s s certification activities including certificates, reports, and other decisions taken by the Certification Body. The appeals & complaints handling process is made publicly available on the website of NIMSSWIZ.

6.2 Scope

• This procedure is applicable to the entire certification activities of NIMSSWIZ.

6.3 Responsibility

The responsibility for the contents of this documented procedure and for receiving, recording, processing, and evaluation and decision of appeals shall rest with the CMD and that of complaints shall rest with the Technical Director.

DEFINITION OF APPEAL AND COMPLAINT

APPEAL: A request by a client, his authorized representative, or a responsible party, to the Certification Body for reconsideration of a decision it has made related to the verification, validation, or certification of that client is termed an Appeal.

COMPLAINT: A Complaint is defined as an expression of dissatisfaction or concern about the service, lack of service, other than an appeal, by any person or organization, to the Certification Body related to its certification activities.

6.4 PROCEDURE

6.4.1 APPEALS

6.4.1.1 The appeals handling process covering receiving, evaluating, and making decisions on appeals is carried out as described in the following clauses.

• Any client or interested party is entitled to appeal in writing, but the appeal must be justified. NIMSSWIZ provides the client with guidance on how to appeal and direct to the standard business terms described in NIMSSWIZ, Certification Agreement. NIMSSWIZ- The appeal form has to be filled by the appellant and forwarded to NIMSSWIZ.
• The Top Management, in the interest of both the parties, shall contact the client to clarify the matter and settle the appeal amicably. If he succeeds in his attempt to settle the matter he will inform the client of the result.
• The CMD of NIMSSWIZ shall take care of the appeal received from any client/appellant. A written or electronic acknowledgment is given to the appellant.
• For any decision between the final outcome of the result, the client will be intimated from time to time.
• All the progress and results of various stages will be communicated to the client in writing or through electronic media.
• NIMSSWIZ gives formal notice to the appellant of the end of the appeals-handling process.

6.4.1.2 The description of the appeals-handling process is publicly accessible on NIMSSWIZ’s website.

6.4.1.3 6.4.1.2 NIMSSWIZ is responsible for all decisions at all levels of the appeals-handling process. It ensures that The persons engaged in the appeals-handling process are different from those who carried out the audits and made the certification decisions.

6.4.1.4 NIMSSWIZ ensures submission, investigation, and decision on appeals do not result in any discriminatory actions against the appellant. All information related to the appeal is kept confidential by involving only the person concerned with the appeals handling process. No details of the client or the outcome of the interactions during the process islet known to any outsider.

Above all, NIMSSWIZ will determine, together with client and appellant, whether and, if so to what extent, the subject of the appeal and its resolution shall be made public.

6.4.1.5 NIMSSWIZ’s appeals-handling process includes the following elements and methods:

• an outline of the process for receiving, reviewing, investigating the complaint, and for deciding what actions are to be taken in response to it;
• tracking and recording appeals, including actions undertaken in response to them; and
• ensuring that any appropriate correction and corrective action are taken, taking into account the results of previous similar appeals.

6.4.1.5.1 The normal process is as described below:

• 1. Receiving: NIMSSWIZ sends NIMSSWIZ Appeal form to the client to fill and receive it. A written or electronic acknowledgment is given to the appellant. The appeal received is then recorded in the Appeals Register and NIMSSWIZis passed on to the CMD for review and evaluation.
• 2. Evaluation: The CMD reviews the appeal to ascertain its validity. If the appeal received is related to NIMSSWIZ’s certification activities, the appellant will be informed that the appeal is under review. If not, the appellant will be communicated to that effect.
• 3. Investigating: The CMD with help of the Technical Committee will investigate the appeal using NIMSSWIZ and it may include the following:

The outcome of the investigation will be submitted to CMD to determine whether an action is required or not.

Action required:: If NIMSSWIZ; take required corrective action (NIMSSWIZ). If the client; gets an audit report prepared and corrective action listed. (Verify the effectiveness of actions taken and respond to client/interested party).

Action not required: Respond to client/interested party (when the nature of an appeal is without merit).

Note: A copy of the report along with supporting documents will be submitted to the Impartiality Committee for review and records.

6.4.1.5.2 If the result of the normal process is proved inadequate, or the appellant fails to agree to The solution, NIMSSWIZ’ s CMD may call the spokesperson of its Impartiality Committee to act as arbitrator. The spokesperson may, if required, delegate arbitration to one or more of the members of the Impartiality Committee. In this case, the decision made by the spokesperson or the member nominated by him shall be binding on NIMSSWIZ.

6.4.1.6 NIMSSWIZ shall ensure that the appellant is provided with progress reports and the outcome.

6.4.1.7 NIMSSWIZ shall also ensure that the decision to be communicated to the appellant is made by, or reviewed and approved by, individual(s) not previously involved in the subject of the appeal.

Note: The appeal processing shall be documented and filed in the respective certification folder. The documentation shall include the following as a minimum requirement:

6.4.1.8 NIMSSWIZ has established a time frame for taking decisions on appeals as 60 to 90 days from the actual receipt of the appeal.

6.4.2 COMPLAINTS

6.4.2.1 The process of complaint handling is done as described below and this information is publicly accessible on the website of NIMSSWIZ. Any client or interested party is entitled to lodge a complaint in writing, but the complaint must be justified. NIMSSWIZ- Complaint form has to be filled by the complainant and forwarded to NIMSSWIZ.

6.4.2.2 Upon receipt of a complaint, NIMSSWIZ confirms whether the complaint relates to certification activities that it is responsible for and deals with it only if it is so. Examination of such a complaint shall also consider the effectiveness of the certified management system of the client.

6.4.2.3 NIMSSWIZ shall refer, at an appropriate time, a complaint to the certified client in question.

6.4.2.4 This documented process to receive, evaluate, and make decisions on complaints is subject to requirements for confidentiality, as it relates to the complainant and to the subject of the complaint.

6.4.2.5 The normal process is as described below:

• an outline of the process for receiving, validating, investigating the complaint, and for deciding what actions are to be taken in response to it;
• tracking and recording complaints, including actions undertaken in response to them; and
• ensuring that any appropriate correction and corrective action are taken.
• a. Receiving: NIMSSWIZ uses the NIMSSWIZ Complaint form to receive the complaint in writing from the complainant. The complaint received is then recorded in the Complaints Register and NIMSSWIZ are passed on to the Technical Manager for validation.
• b. Validating: The Technical Manager reviews the complaint to ascertain its validity. If the complaint received is related to NIMSSWIZ’s certification activities, the complainant will be informed that the complaint is under review. If not, the complainant will be communicated to that effect.
• c. Investigating: The Technical Director investigates the complaint using NIMSSWIZ, and may include the following:

• Internal audit
• Unscheduled audit of client
• Interview with a client or interested party

Determines Action required: YES/NO
Yes: If NIMSSWIZ; take required corrective action (NIMSSWIZ).
If the client; prepares the audit report, list corrective action verifies the effectiveness of actions taken and respond to the client/interested party and inform them of the right to appeal. No: Respond to client/interested party and inform them of the right to appeal (when the nature of the complaint is without merit.

6.4.2.6 NIMSSWIZ is responsible for gathering and verifying all necessary information to validate the complaint.

6.4.2.7 NIMSSWIZ shall provide the complainant with progress reports and the outcome.

6.4.2.8 NIMSSWIZ ensures that the decision to be communicated to the complainant is made by, or reviewed and approved by only individual(s) not previously involved in the subject of the complaint.

6.4.2.9 NIMSSWIZ will give formal notice of the end of the complaints-handling process to the complainant, whenever possible.

6.4.2.10 NIMSSWIZ will determine, together with client and complainant, whether and, if so to what extent, the subject of the complaint and its resolution shall be made public.

6.4.2.11 NIMSSWIZ will resolve the complaints within 90 days from the date of receipt of the complaint.

6.4.2.12 NIMSSWIZ will provide the client with the liberty to approach the Accreditation Board in case the client is not satisfied or the complaint has not been resolved within 90 days from the date of its receipt.