Complaints & Appeals

UCSL is committed to handling complaints and appeals in a fair, transparent, impartial, and timely manner. Complaints and appeals relate to the resolution of disputes concerning UCSL’s certification activities and the performance of its personnel and subcontractors.

Definitions

Complaint: An expression of dissatisfaction made to UCSL related to its certification activities or the complaints handling process, where a response or resolution is expected. This includes concerns regarding the application of certification requirements, the conduct of UCSL personnel or subcontractors, and actions taken by certified organizations within the scope of issued certificates.

Appeal: A request by a certificate applicant, certificate holder, or other stakeholder for reconsideration of a decision made by UCSL related to the certification process, including certification decisions or decisions on complaints.

Who May Submit a Complaint or Appeal
Complaints and appeals may be submitted by any stakeholder, including but not limited to:

• certificate applicants and certificate holders
• UCSL clients
• subcontractors
• scheme owners
• communities and residents
• governmental bodies and NGOs
• other interested parties

Complaints and appeals may be submitted at any time and must be provided in writing.

Submission of Complaints and Appeals
Complaints and appeals shall be submitted in writing to UCSL and should include, as a minimum:

• name and contact details of the complainant or appellant
• subject of the complaint or appeal
• identification of parties involved
• description of the circumstances and justification
• any supporting evidence available

Processing of Complaints
All complaints are registered and subject to an initial review within ten (10) working days of receipt. The complainant is notified in writing of the acceptance or rejection of the complaint and the proposed processing timeframe.

Complaints are processed by personnel who were not involved in the related certification assessment or decision and in accordance with impartiality and confidentiality requirements.

Where required, UCSL may involve the relevant certification scheme owner or other competent bodies.

A decision on a complaint is normally taken within three (3) months of receipt, unless extended due to justified circumstances (for example, scheme owner involvement or objection processes).

Appeals Process
Appeals are reviewed by an independent and impartial Appeals Panel (AP) whose members have not participated in the related certification activities or decisions.

The Appeals Panel:

• considers appeals against UCSL certification decisions;
• reviews relevant complaints where appropriate;
• ensures objectivity, independence, and non-discrimination.

A decision on an appeal is normally issued within three (3) months of acceptance for processing and communicated in writing to the parties involved.

Decisions and Communication
Following evaluation, UCSL may decide to:

• uphold the complaint or appeal (in full or in part); or
• reject it where it is not substantiated by objective evidence or falls outside UCSL’s responsibility.

All decisions are based on objective assessment and are communicated in writing to the complainant or appellant with justification.

Where a complaint or appeal identifies nonconformities, UCSL applies corrective actions in accordance with its Quality Management System.

If any party is dissatisfied with the Appeals Panel decision, the matter may be referred to the relevant certification scheme owner in accordance with applicable scheme requirements.

Record Keeping
UCSL maintains records of all complaints and appeals, actions taken, and outcomes in its management system to ensure accountability, confidentiality, and continuous improvement.

Records are retained in accordance with UCSL document control and data retention requirements.

Publication of Results
UCSL may publish summaries of complaints and appeals and their outcomes in accordance with confidentiality and data protection requirements.