APJ CERT shall be responsible for all decisions at all levels of the complaints handling process. Submission, investigation and decision on complaints shall not result in any discriminatory actions against the complaint. Upon receipt of a complaint, the APJ CERT shall confirm whether the complaint relates to the auditing activities that it is responsible for and, if so, shall deal with it.
If the complaint relates to an audited client, then examination of the complaint shall consider the effectiveness of the audited management system.
Any valid complaint about an audited client shall also be referred by APJ CERT to the audited client in question at an appropriate time
APJ CERT have a documented process to receive, evaluate and make decisions on complaints. This process shall be subject to requirements for confidentiality, as it relates to the complainant and to the subject of the complaint
The complaint handling process shall include at least the following elements and methods
- An outline of the process for receiving, validating, investigating the complaint, and for deciding what actions need to be taken in response to it
- Tracking and recording complaints, including actions undertaken in response to them
- Ensuring that any appropriate correction and corrective action are taken
APJ CERT shall be responsible for gathering and verifying all necessary information to validate the complaint. Whenever possible, APJ CERT shall acknowledge receipt of the complaint and shall provide the complaint with progress reports and the result of the complaint.
The decision to be communicated to the complainant shall be made by or reviewed and approved by, individual (s) not previously involved in the subject of the complaint. Whenever possible, the APJ CERT shall give formal notice of the end of the complaints-handling process to the complainant.
APJ CERT shall determine, together with the audited client and the complainant, whether and, if so to what extent, the subject of the complaint and its resolution shall be made public.