CERES' Policy

No	Issue	Text
1	Aims	Obtain a maximum of transparency in certification processes for all involved parties, without affecting the necessary principles of confidentiality.
2	Back­ground	Internal and external communication plays a key role in modern enterprises. The success of our certification body depends in a high degree on inspectors and clients being updated permanently concerning changes in regulation, CERES poli­cies and procedures.
3	Normative frame­work	EN 45011 defines: 4.1.3: If explanation is required as to the application of … (the specific standards), .. it shall be formulated by relevant and impartial committees or persons… and published by the certification body. 4.5.1: The management of the certification body… shall define … its policy for quality… (and) ensure that this policy is understood, implemented and maintained at all levels of the organization. 6: The certification body shall give due notice of any changes it intends to make in its requirements for certification. NOP says: § 205.501 (a) (a) A private or State entity accredited as a certifying agent ... must: (8) Provide sufficient information to persons seeking certification to enable them to comply with the applicable requirements of the Act and the regulations in this part; § 205.504: A private or State entity seeking accreditation as a certifying agent must submit the following documents and information…: (b) (5) A copy of the procedures to be used for making the following information available to any member of the public upon request: (i) Certification certificates issued during the current and 3 preceding calender years; (ii) A list of producers and handlers whose operations it has certified, including for each the name of the operation, type(s) of operation, and the effective date of the certification, during the current and 3 preceding calender years; (iii) The results of laboratory analyses for residues of pesticides and other prohibited substances conducted during the current and 3 preceding calender years; and (iv) Other business information as permitted in writing by the producer or handler…
4	Terms	None
5	Policy
5.1	Keeping staff informed: •     CERES will provide inspectors and other interested staff copies of all relevant regulations and relevant parts of the Quality Manual •     CERES will inform all inspectors and other interested staff with a maximum delay of one month about changes in relevant regulations, policies and procedures. Besides the respective regulation text, an easily understandable explanation will be provided. •     CERES management and headquarter staff meets at least once per month, among others to exchange all relevant information.
5.2	Staff participation in decisions: Whenever possible, before making decisions, all potentially involved or affected staff should be informed and encouraged to give their opinions and comments. The management shall take into account the criteria expressed by the staff.
5.3	Keeping clients informed: •     CERES will provide clients or applicants for certification copies of the respective standard(s), if possible in a language understandable for them, accompanied by easily understandable summaries of the most important requirements. •     CERES will publish certification policies and most parts of the Quality Manual on its website, in order to make structures and procedures as transparent as possible. •     All CERES staff will give clients or other interested public satisfying information upon requests concerning standards, policies, or procedures. •     Inspectors or other local CERES representatives are responsible of informing all local clients immediately about relevant changes in regulations, policies, or procedures. •     The following kind of documents will always have to be provided in a locally understandable language: - Organic Management Plans - Brief information on …. - CERES Policies - Contracts •     If necessary the inspector will have to translate all non-conformities and remediation measures into a language understandable to the operator. The operator and the inspector have to sign them.
6	Related docu­ments	None.