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Complaint & Appeal Procedure

1. PURPOSE/SCOPE
   This document describes the process for identifying, recording and resolving client and other interested parties complaints and appeals; covers all activities undertaken by emission trading and offsetting schemes for current or completed work.
2. DEFINITIONS
   Appeal: A request by a client or any other party to the VB for a review of findings or reconsideration of a decision taken on a verification.
   Complaint: An expression of dissatisfaction or discontent, other than appeal, by any person or organisation to a VB, concerning the activities and or the personnel of the VB, where a response is expected.
3. PROCEDURES
   1. A client may approach the VB with a query/comment regarding work that is either in process or has been completed and reported. Such an approach may be informal (no complaint/appeal made) or formal (register as a complaint/appeal).
      1. Where an informal query is involved, it is deemed that no complaint/appeal has been made.
      2. Where a formal query is involved, this will be registered as a complaint or appeal and this documented procedure shall be followed.
   2. A query can be either made electronically through the website of the VB or download, fill in and send to the VB via email, post or FAX.
   3. An informal query is a client approach where no criticism of the work is given or implied. Examples of an informal query include (but not restricted to):
      1. Enquiry as to when the final document will be issued
      2. Request for an explanation of costs
   4. Informal queries will be dealt with on an ad-hoc basis and do not form part of the customer complaint/appeal procedure.
   5. A formal query is an approach by the client where there is an implied criticism; such a query must be regarded as a complaint. Examples of a formal query include (but restricted to):
      ● Implication of a shortfall in service standards
      ● Requests for re-examination of results.
      ● Statements stating or implying that a document/report/letter is unreasonably late.
      ● Statements implying that the final charge was in excess of what was agreed or expected, without prior notice.
   6. On determining that a client approach is a complaint/appeal, the details of the complaint/appeal will be accurately recorded on the complaint/appeals form (CP-01-01) with the following information:
      ● Client name
      ● Contact information
      ● Type of communication
      ● Detailed description of the complaint/appeal
      ● Sequential Complaint/appeal Number
   7. This information will be transcribed to the Complaint/appeals database (CP-01-02)
   8. The company will determine if the issue relates to its validation or verification processes.
   9. The complaint/appeal severity will be established based on this information.
   10. Following receipt of the complaint/appeal, the company details will be reviewed and recorded in the complaint/appeals database.
   11. On receiving a complaint/appeal, the company shall contact the customer in writing to confirm receipt of the complaint, provide the complainant with a unique reference number and a guide to the complaint handling process.
   12. There will be a period where relevant background information will be collected to allow an evaluation of the complaint/appeal to determine its validity. This information will be recorded and appended to the complaint/appeal form.
   13. All information will be treated as confidential.
   14. The complaint’s validity will be assessed. Where the complaint/appeal is related to the company’s validation or verification processes then the person(s) engaged in the assessment did not have a role in the validation/verification or prepare statements on the GHG assertions of the results.
   15. A VALID complaint/appeal is deemed such where the clients concerns have been found to be justified. Once a complaint/appeal has been found to be valid the root cause of the complaint/appeal and the relevant corrective action(s) must be determined as per procedure “CP-02 – Non-Conforming Product and Corrective Actions”.
   16. A NON-VALID complaint/appeal is deemed such where the investigation has not justified the clients concerns. Once a complaint/appeal has been found to be non-valid, no further work need be undertaken.
   17. On completion of the investigations (including any corrective actions, if pertinent) a complaint/appeal report will be written and issued to the client.
   18. The company shall ensure that any appeals decision shall not result in any discriminatory actions against the appellant.
   19. Once the complaint/appeal report has been issued, the client will be contacted and the findings discussed.
   20. Should the client be happy with the resolution the complaint/appeal will be closed and the database updated accordingly.
   21. Should the client remain unhappy with the resolution then the MD will further discuss the issue(s) with the customer and try to reach an agreed resolution. (It is recognised that this is sometimes not possible) Following these discussions and any agreed actions will be auctioned and the complaint/appeal will remain open until such time as these actions are completed.
4. RECORDS
   Records may be kept in either electronic or hardcopy format and will include:
   Customer Complaint/appeal Form (CP-01-01).
   Customer Complaint/appeal Database (Excel Spreadsheet) of all customer complaint/appeals (CP-01-02).
   Investigation Notes including (where appropriate) Root Cause Analysis, determination of Corrective Actions.
   All records will be maintained for the duration of the contracted work plus two years after which time they will be discarded in an appropriate manner in accordance with CP-04.
5. RELATED DOCUMENTS
   CP-04: Control of Records
   CP-02: Non-Conforming Product and Corrective Action.
6. REFERENCES
   ISO 14065:2013 – Greenhouse Gases – Requirements for greenhouse gas validation and verification bodies for use in accreditation or other forms of recognition
   ISO 9001:2008 – Quality Management Systems – Requirements