Consideration of complaints and appeals
Forest Certification LLC impartially and promptly considers complaints and appeals against decisions made by the certification body.
Anonymous complaints and appeals received by the company are not considered , but can be used during the next audit of the client and as information sources of an analytical nature in the interests of improving the certification body.
Consideration of the complaint
The complaint can be filed against the activities of Forest Certification LLC or the activities the holder of the certificate.
The applicant can be any person who participates in the certification process or is interested in the results of the certification carried out by the certification body.
The applicant files a complaint directly with the director of the company, containing:
- subject of the complaint;
- potential parties — participants in the complaint;
- description of the applicant’s participation in the events that preceded the application and caused the complaint;
- about the obligation by the decision of LLC «Forest Certification» to deposit a reasonable amount of money established by the organization, which will be used to cover the costs of considering the complaint or returned to the applicant.
The complaint must be filed within 30 days from the date of the event, the cause.
Upon receipt of a complaint, its registration and initial assessment are carried out.
Forest Certification LLC has the right to reject a complaint that does not meet the above requirements. The refusal is made in writing, indicating the reason for the refusal and how you can correct the deficiencies. Notification of the decision taken (refusal to accept a complaint or its acceptance for work and the timing of consideration) is made in writing and sent to the applicant no later than five days from the date of its receipt.
Disagreement with the decision to refuse to accept the complaint may be appealed to the Appeal Committee by sending an appeal (see below) directly to the Committee (the applicant can obtain the contact details of the Chairman of the Appeal Committee by contacting the office of Forest Certification LLC). Filing an appeal does not stop the decisions taken.
When considering complaints about PEFC, Forest Certification LLC must notify within 30 days:
- The PEFC Council has received substantiated complaints regarding the activities of supply chain certificate holders;
- PEFC of Russia (for Russia) or NVFCS (for Ukraine) on received justified complaints regarding the activities of holders of forest management and forest use certificates.
If the complaint is accepted, the complainant is sent within 14 days from the date of its receipt response, including a brief description of the intended method of action of LLC «Forest Certification» to respond to the complaint.
To consider the complaint and develop further actions in relation to it, Forest Certification LLC collects the necessary information, verifies the reliability of the complaint, and evaluates it. The organization also asks for additional information on the subject of the complaint, if necessary, and develops proposals for further action so that the final decision on the complaint is made no later than three months from the date of its receipt.
For the consideration of complaints, non-interested parties are involved.
Forest Certification LLC shall submit to the PEFC Council (only complaints regarding the activities of chain of custody certificate holders) or PEFC Russia, or NVFCS., a summary report on the consideration of the complaint regarding the activities of the certificate holder.
In case of disagreement any of the parties to the complaint with a rendered decision, the complaint is considered by the Dispute Resolution Committee.
Consideration of the appeal
The applicant for certification or the holder of the certificate may appeal against the certification decisions of Forest Certification LLC or its actions by filing an appeal for their revision:
- unjustified refusal of Forest Certification LLC from acceptance for consideration applications for certification;
- decision of Forest Certification LLC to refuse certification according to the submitted application;
- qualification of inconsistencies during the audit;
- refusal to issue a certificate;
- temporary suspension or cancellation of the certificate;
- violation of the rules and procedures for assessment;
- failure to fulfill contractual obligations on the part of Forest Certification LLC, including violation of the terms of performance of works on assessment;
- other actions of Forest Certification LLC, which resulted in violations of the applicant’s rights and interests in confirming his compliance with certification requirements.
In addition, applicants may appeal against the decision to refuse to consider a complaint or a decision on a complaint.
An appeal must be filed with the director of Forest Certification LLC within 30 days from the date of the relevant decision, and for appeals on a decision to refuse to consider a complaint or a decision on a complaint this period is 10 days from the date of sending the corresponding response to the complaint.
The complainant files an appeal containing:
- the subject of the appeal and the reason for the appeal;
- the reason for disagreeing with the appealed decision;
- a proposed decision for discussion by the Appeals Committee;
- attachments containing documentary or other evidence on which the appeal is based and a list listing such evidence and / or documents;
- obligation to confidentiality of information when considering the appeal;
- obligation by the decision of Forest Certification LLC to deposit a reasonable amount of money established by the company, which will be used to cover the costs of the appeal or returned to the applicant.
The appeal must be signed by an authorized person with evidence of such authority.
When an appeal is received, it will be recorded and initially evaluated. Filing an appeal does not automatically suspend the issued certification decision or the decision on the complaint.
Forest Certification LLC has the right to reject an appeal that does not meet the above requirements. The refusal is made in writing with an indication of the reason for the refusal and how you can correct the deficiencies. Notification of the decision taken (refusal to accept the appeal or its acceptance for work and the timing of consideration) is made in writing and sent to the applicant no later than five days from the date of its receipt.
Disagreement with the decision to refuse to accept the appeal can be appealed to the Appeals Committee by sending a repeated appeal to Forest Certification LLC or by sending it to the owner of the certification system or accreditation body.
If accepted an appeal is sent to the applicant within 14 days from the date of its receipt, a response is sent, including a brief description of the proposed course of action of Forest Certification LLC to respond to the appeal.
To consider the appeal and develop further actions in relation to it, Forest Certification LLC conducts collecting the necessary information, checking the reliability of the appeal, evaluating it, requesting, if necessary, additional information on the subject of the appeal and developing proposals for further action so that the final decision on the appeal is made no later than three months from the date of its receipt.
To consider the appeal, disinterested parties are involved.
Disagreement with the decision m on appeal can be appealed by sending
If the applicant is not satisfied with the decision on the appeal, he can file a complaint with the owner of the certification system or the accreditation body.
Full description of the procedures for handling complaints and appeals in different FSC certification systems, PEFC, SBP are given in internal procedures: