Vietnam: What are the details of National Standard TCVN ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015 on requirements for bodies providing audit and certification of management systems?
- What are the details of National Standard TCVN ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015 on requirements for bodies providing audit and certification of management systems in Vietnam?
- What are the requirements for legal and contractual matters of certification bodies in Vietnam under National Standard TCVN ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015?
- What are the requirements for the organizational structure of bodies providing audit and certification of management systems in Vietnam?
What are the details of National Standard TCVN ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015 on requirements for bodies providing audit and certification of management systems in Vietnam?
National Standard TCVN ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015 replaces TCVN ISO/IEC 17021:2011 (ISO/IEC 17021:2011);
National Standard TCVN ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015 is fully equivalent to ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015 ;
National Standard TCVN ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015 compiled by the National Technical Committee for TCVN/CASCO Conformity Assessment, proposed by the Directorate for Standards, Metrology and Quality, and published by the Ministry of Science and Technology.
National Standard TCVN ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015 specifies principles and requirements for the competence, consistency, and objectivity of bodies providing audit and certification of management systems.
Certification bodies operating under this standard do not necessarily provide all types of certification of management systems.
Certification of management systems is a conformity assessment of the third party (see TCVN ISO/IEC 17000:2007, 5.5). Therefore, certification bodies are bodies conducting the conformity assessment of the third party.
Note 1: Examples of management systems include environmental management systems, quality management systems, and information security management systems.
Note 2: In this National Standard, the certification of management systems is called "certification" and bodies conducting conformity assessment of the third party are called "certification bodies".
Note 3: Certification bodies can be governmental or non-governmental organizations (with or without regulatory authority).
Note 4: This National Standard can be used as a benchmark for peer recognition or assessment or other assessment processes.
What are the requirements for legal and contractual matters of certification bodies in Vietnam under National Standard TCVN ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015?
Pursuant to subsection 5.1 Section 5 of National Standard TCVN ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015, the general requirements for legal and contractual matters of certification bodies in Vietnam are as follows:
- Liability:
The certification body must be a legal entity or a defined part of a legal entity so that it can be held legally responsible for all its certification activities. A state certification body can be considered a legal entity on the basis of its position in the system of State organizations.
- Certification agreement:
The certification body must have a legally binding agreement for the provision of certification activities with customers. In addition, if the certification body has multiple offices or the client has multiple locations, the certification body must ensure that there is a legally binding agreement between the certification body, which issued the certificate and all locations covered by the certification.
Note: A certification agreement can be reached through multiple reference agreements or interrelated agreements.
- Responsibility for certification decisions:
The certification body shall be responsible for and shall maintain jurisdiction over its decisions regarding certification, including the issuance, refusal, maintenance of the certification, expansion or narrowing of the scope of the certification, re-issuance, suspension or reinstatement after the suspension or cancellation of the certificate.
What are the requirements for the organizational structure of bodies providing audit and certification of management systems in Vietnam?
Pursuant to Section 6 of National Standard TCVN ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015, the requirements for the organizational structure of bodies providing audit and certification of management systems in Vietnam are as follows:
- Organizational structure and highest leadership:
+ The certification body must make a document of its organizational structure, which specifies the tasks, responsibilities, and powers of the management board and other personnel involved in the certification and any committees. When a certification body is identified as part of a legal entity, then the organizational structure must include both the jurisdiction and the relationship with other departments within the same legal entity.
+ Certification activities must be organized and managed in a way that ensures objectivity.
+ The certification body must determine that the top leadership (board, group of people, or individuals) has common powers and responsibilities for each of the following tasks:
++ Develop policies and establish processes and procedures related to the body's operations;
++ Monitor the application of policies, processes and procedures;
++ Ensure objectivity;
++ Supervise finance of the body;
++ Develop management system certification services and programs;
++ Perform audits, certifications and respond to complaints;
++ Decide on certification;
++ Authorize the Board or individuals, when necessary, to carry out defined activities on your behalf;
++ Agree on contract terms;
++ Provide adequate resources for certification activities.
+ The certification body must have official rules for the appointment, charters, and activities of all boards involved in certification activities.
- Operational control:
+ The certification body must have a process to effectively control the certification activities of branch offices, partners, firms, and representatives,... regardless of the legal status, relationship, or geographical location of these entities.
The certification body shall consider the risk of these activities to the certification body's competence, consistency, and objectivity.
+ The certification body shall consider the appropriate extent and method to control the activities carried out including the processes of the body, the technical areas of the certification body's activities, the competence of personnel, how management control is conducted, the preparation of reporting and remote access to activities including dossiers.
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