Your Path to Independent Assurance

Certification, verification and validation provide organizations and their stakeholders with independent confidence that specified requirements have been appropriately assessed.
WECERT delivers conformity-assessment services through structured, impartial and competence-based processes. From your initial enquiry and application through assessment, technical review, decision and ongoing assurance, we aim to make each stage clear, professional and appropriately aligned with the applicable standard, programme and accreditation requirements.

Choose Your Assurance Path

Different assurance needs require different assessment approaches. Select the pathway that best reflects your organization’s objectives.

Management System Certification

Management system certification assesses whether your organization has established, implemented and maintained a management system that conforms to the requirements of a specified standard.
Certification generally includes an initial certification audit, an independent certification decision, periodic surveillance audits and recertification before the end of the certification cycle.

Management System Certificate

Global Recognition

Continual Improvement

Verification and Validation

Verification and validation evaluate claims, statements, data, calculations, reports or projected outcomes against defined criteria.
Verification normally evaluates information relating to historical or current conditions. Validation normally evaluates the plausibility of assumptions, methodologies or future-oriented claims.
The process and resulting statement depend on the applicable programme, criteria, materiality, level of assurance and intended use of the claim.

Assurance Statement

Stack-holder Confidence

Risk and Creditability Enhancement

Before You Apply

Before WECERT can prepare a proposal or accept an engagement, sufficient information must be provided to understand the requested service and determine whether WECERT has the competence, resources and authorization required to perform the work.

Submission of an application does not constitute acceptance of the engagement or guarantee certification, verification or validation.
WECERT reviews each application before entering into an agreement.

Depending on the requested service, applicants may be asked to provide:

  • Legal name and contact information of the applicant
  • Requested standard, programme or validation/verification criteria
  • Proposed certification, verification or validation scope
  • Activities, products, services and organizational processes
  • Number and location of sites
  • Number of personnel or other applicable activity data

  • Use of outsourced or externally provided processes

  • Existing certifications or previous conformity-assessment activities
  • Applicable statutory, regulatory or contractual requirements
  • Requested completion dates and reporting requirements
  • Intended users and intended use of any verified or validated claim
  • Level of assurance, materiality or programme-specific information, where applicable
  • Information regarding consultancy or other relationships that could present an impartiality risk

Impartiality. Independence.
Credible Decisions.

Impartiality is fundamental to the credibility of certification, verification and validation.
WECERT identifies, analyses, evaluates, treats, monitors and documents potential threats to impartiality arising from its activities, relationships, personnel and commercial arrangements.
WECERT maintains separation between those who perform assessment activities and those who review the evidence and make the final decision.
The auditor, validator or verifier does not independently issue the final certification or assurance decision.

IMPARTIALITY AND DECISION-MAKING

Assessment Team

The assigned audit, verification or validation team conducts the assessment and gathers objective evidence.
The team evaluates conformity against the applicable standard, criteria or programme requirements.

Independent Review

Competent personnel who were not involved in conducting the assessment review the evidence, findings and proposed conclusion.
The review confirms that the assessment process was appropriately completed and that the recommendation is supported by sufficient evidence.

Authorized Decision

Authorized decision-makers evaluate the complete assessment information and determine whether certification or an assurance statement can be issued.
The decision is independent from the personnel who conducted the assessment.

Certificate or Statement

A certificate, verification statement or validation statement is issued only following a positive decision.
The issued result clearly identifies its scope, criteria, applicable dates, conditions and limitations.

Maintaining Certification or an Issued Statement

Certification and assurance results remain credible only when their scope, conditions and limitations are clearly understood and appropriately maintained.

Surveillance and Recertification

Management system certification is maintained through periodic surveillance audits and recertification activities.

Certified organizations are responsible for:

  • Continuing to meet applicable requirements
  • Completing required surveillance audits
  • Completing recertification before expiry
  • Addressing identified nonconformities
  • Maintaining the effectiveness of the management system
  • Cooperating with additional or short-notice audits where justified

Changes Affecting Certification

Certified organizations must inform WECERT without undue delay of significant changes that may affect certification.

Examples include changes to:

  • Legal or commercial status
  • Ownership
  • Senior management
  • Organizational structure
  • Certified locations
  • Certification scope

  • Products or services or critical processes

  • Outsourced activities
  • Number of personnel
  • Applicable regulatory requirements

WECERT evaluates whether additional review, audit or certification action is required.

Statement Scope and Limitations

A verification or validation statement applies only to the subject matter, claim, criteria, scope, period and conditions identified within the issued statement.

The statement must not be extended to:

  • Information outside the agreed scope
  • Other reporting periods
  • Other sites
  • Other claims
  • Other legal entities
  • Information modified after the assessment
  • Future performance not covered by the engagement

A new or materially changed claim may require a separate verification or validation engagement.

Important Information and Quick Access

Access the information, tools and procedures needed to verify WECERT results, understand your responsibilities or raise a concern.

Validate a Certificate or Statement

Check the current status and validity of WECERT-issued certificates and registered verification or validation statements.

Complaints and Appeals

WECERT maintains documented processes for receiving, evaluating and deciding complaints and appeals.

Rules for Using Our Results

WECERT maintains documented processes for receiving, evaluating and deciding complaints and appeals.

Transfer Your Certification

Organizations holding a valid accredited management system certificate issued by another certification body may request transfer to WECERT.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About Certification or Verification

Find clear answers to common questions about WECERT’s certification, verification and validation processes, including applications, decisions, certificate validity, complaints and ongoing requirements.

No.

Submitting an application begins WECERT’s review process. Certification is granted only after the required audit, corrective-action review, independent review and certification decision have been satisfactorily completed.

Verification generally evaluates the correctness of historical or current information against specified criteria.

Validation generally evaluates the plausibility of assumptions, methodologies or projected outcomes supporting a future-oriented claim.

The exact interpretation may also depend on the applicable programme.

The final decision is made by authorized competent personnel who were not involved in conducting the relevant audit, verification or validation activities.

The assessment team may provide findings and recommendations but does not independently issue the final decision.

The required time depends on several factors, including:

  • Requested standard
  • Certification scope
  • Number of employees
  • Number and location of sites
  • Complexity of activities
  • Organizational readiness
  • Availability of required evidence
  • Audit findings
  • Time required to complete corrective actions

A more accurate schedule is established after application review.

Management system certification normally operates within a defined certification 3-years cycle, subject to successful surveillance audits and recertification.

The exact issue date, expiry date and applicable conditions are stated on the certificate.

Certification may become invalid before the expiry date if it is suspended or withdrawn.

Yes.

Certification may be suspended, withdrawn or reduced when certification requirements are no longer fulfilled.

Possible reasons include:

  • Serious or persistent nonconformity
  • Failure to complete required audits
  • Failure to resolve nonconformities
  • Misuse of certificates or certification marks
  • Failure to notify WECERT of significant changes
  • Provision of false or misleading information
  • Non-payment of applicable fees
  • Voluntary request by the certified organization

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Yes.

The status of WECERT-issued certificates and registered statements may be checked through the WECERT online validation system, subject to applicable confidentiality and programme requirements.

Yes.

An applicant or client may raise a legitimate objection regarding a proposed team member.

The reason for the objection must be provided, and WECERT will review the matter before determining the appropriate action.

WECERT must protect the impartiality of its conformity-assessment activities.

WECERT does not design, implement or operate a client’s management system and does not prepare a claim that WECERT will later independently verify or validate.

WECERT may provide general public information about standards, certification processes and applicable requirements without providing client-specific consultancy.

A complaint or appeal may be submitted through WECERT’s designated online form or official communication channels.

The submission should include:

  • Name and contact information
  • Organization, where applicable
  • Description of the matter
  • Relevant certificate, statement or application number
  • Supporting documents
  • Requested outcome, where applicable

WECERT registers, evaluates and processes each valid submission through its documented procedures.

Ready to Begin Your

Assurance Journey?

Provide your organization’s scope, locations and requested standard or programme.
WECERT will review your information, determine the appropriate conformity-assessment pathway and explain the next steps.
Whether you are seeking management system certification, verification of environmental or sustainability information, or validation of a defined claim, our team is ready to support a clear and professional application process.