Suspension or withdrawal of ISO Certification

With the privilege of awarding certification comes the responsibility of withdrawing it when the required standards aren’t complied with.

At Citation Certification, the responsibility to maintain, suspend, or withdraw ISO certification is taken with the utmost seriousness. ISO certification represents a commitment to quality and compliance with international standards. However, there are instances where suspension or withdrawal of certification may be necessary. In this article, we explain the conditions where suspension or withdrawal  might occur and the processes involved.

Why could my ISO Certification be suspended?

ISO certification suspension can occur under several circumstances. As a certification body, Citation Certification follows strict guidelines dictated by accreditation rules:

1. Persistent or serious non-compliance: if your management system has persistently or seriously failed to meet the requirements of the ISO standard, such as ISO 9001 or ISO 14001, suspension may be necessary.
2. Assessment frequency non-compliance: failing to allow regular assessments to be completed as required can lead to a suspension.
3. Voluntary suspension: sometimes, a certified client might voluntarily request a suspension of the certification.

Should a major non-conformance be identified, you’ll typically have 30 days to rectify the issue. During this period, the certification status will remain ‘suspended’ until the corrective actions are verified and the non-conformance is resolved.

How can my ISO Certification be reinstated?

Reinstating an ISO certification after suspension due to non-conformance involves:

• Corrective action completion: once the major non-conformance has been adequately addressed, and the corrective actions have been verified, the non-conformance can be closed or downgraded.
• Restoration of certification status: following the resolution of the issues, the certification status is immediately restored to normal, lifting any temporary suspension.

 Why could my ISO Certification be withdrawn?

Withdrawal of ISO certification can happen voluntarily or be initiated by the certification body under specific circumstances:

1. Voluntary withdrawal: an organisation may decide it no longer requires the certification and can formally request its withdrawal.
2. Certification body-initiated withdrawal: reasons might include:
   1. Failure to arrange an assessment within the designated timeframe.
   2. Non-payment of due invoices.

At Citation Certification, we are committed to supporting our clients through the complex landscape of ISO certification management. Whether dealing with ISO certification suspension, recertification audits, or withdrawal of the certification, our team ensures that every certified client continually meets the scope of certification requirements effectively.