Use of ABAC Certification Mark Policy

USE OF ABAC CERTIFICATION MARK POLICY

The purpose of this policy is to ensure that the Certified Clients adhere to the requirements of ABAC Certification policy for use of ABAC Certification Mark; Accreditation symbols and Certification statements.

This policy is applicable to all clients of ABAC Certification. The same requirements are applicable for the use of the certification mark on electronic documentation (i.e. websites).

Certified Clients’ Responsibility and contractual obligation

• It is the contractual obligation of all Certified clients to comply with the requirements provided in this Policy.
• Certified Clients are responsible to use the certificate and/or the ABAC Certification Mark provided by ABAC Certification in manner that will not bring ABAC Certification, and/or the Accreditation Body, and/or the certification system into disrepute and lose public trust.
• Certified Clients are responsible to make true statements about their scope of certification and shall refrain from making any statements that ABAC Certification may consider to be misleading or unauthorised.

Granting of ABAC Certification Mark

Upon granting the Certificate, ABAC Certification will provide its Certified Clients with the relevant ABAC Certification Mark. The ABAC Certification Mark is a registered trademark and shall only be granted once the decision for award of certificate is made by the Certification Committee.

Permissible Use of ABAC Certification Mark

• Clients may use the ABAC Certification Mark (with or without any accreditation mark) on stationery such as sales and contractual documents, letterheads, business cards, invoices, compliment slips, delivery slips, on advertising, displays, posters, TV advertisements, promotional videos, web sites, brochure.
• Clients may use the ABAC Certification Mark alone (the Accreditation Mark shall not be used) on all other applications such as on flags, on vehicles, on promotional material accompanying the product, on window stickers, on vehicles, billboard advertisements, on promotional goods such as pocket diaries, coffee mugs, coasters, doormats or any other application.
• Clients may use the ABAC Certification Mark on its web site it accompanied with a link to ABAC Certification Clients Directory (click here to verify training) in conjunction with the accreditation mark(s), ABAC Certification Mark may only be reproduced in specification provided.
• ABAC Certification Mark may also be used without the accreditation mark(s). The reproduction of ABAC Certification Mark will be as per guidelines provided.
• The material bearing ABAC Certification Mark will only reflect activities within its scope of certification.
• ABAC Certification Mark may be resized, provided the proportions of the entire mark are maintained and all features of the mark are clearly distinguishable.
• For multiple-site organisations, the ABAC Certification Mark shall only be used in conjunction with the organisation’s name and location that gained certification.
• Upon a reduction of the scope of certification, the client shall amend all advertising material referring to its certification to properly reflect the reduced scope.

Impermissible Use of ABAC Certification Mark

• Restriction of labelling of products: Certified clients may not use the ABAC Certification Mark on its products or their packaging in order to avoid confusion with product certification. The client may put a statement (without use of the mark) on product packaging or accompanying information that it has a certified management system, but this statement cannot claim that the product, process (or service) is certified. This statement must include a reference to, the certified client’s name/brand name; the type of management system (e.g.: anti bribery management system) and the applicable standard (e.g.: ISO 37001); and the name of the certification body issuing the certificate.
• Certified client may not use the ABAC Certification Mark during suspension, withdrawal or cancellation of the Certificate, and within one month, discontinue the use of the ABAC Certification Mark or any reference thereto and will not thereafter use any copy or imitation thereof and take actions as required and directed by ABAC Certification Scheme.
• Non transferability of ABAC Certification Mark: The use of the ABAC Certification Mark is limited to legally registered organisations and must not, without the express permission of ABAC Certification, be transferred to third parties or successors or be the subject of an assignment or a sale or of any sort of enforced measure.
• Part of organisation/process certified: For a certificate holder that gained certification for only a portion of their manufacturing processes, products or services, claims of certification must be specific and not provide the impression of “organisation-wide” certification.

Reproduction of ABAC Certification Mark

Printed Documents: On documents printed in more than one color, the ABAC Certification Mark must be reproduced as under:

• Orange colour: C4% M67% Y98% K0% or R232 G108 B17
• Blue colour: C100% M76% Y36% K23% or R16 G61 B99
• Grey colour: C0% M0% Y0% K30% or R198 G198 B198

For web use, the customer will be able to create and use a transparent version of the certification mark.

Kindly note that master copy of the Mark will be provided upon granting the Certificate.

Use of Certificate

• Electronic Certificates: Electronic certificates issued by ABAC Certification cannot be altered or modified. They will be used as provided, by the Certified Clients, for publicity/promotional and/or printing purposes without the need to be watermarked or marked as controlled/ copy of the original.
• Paper version of Certificates: Photocopies or electronic copies of original “paper” versions of the certificates may be in full color and need to be watermarked or otherwise marked as being a copy of the original.

Misuse of ABAC Certification Mark/ Certificate/ Accreditation Mark, penalties and Appeal

In the event of misuse of the ABAC Certification Mark, Certificate and Accreditation Mark the ABAC Certification Scheme may immediately suspend or withdraw the Certificate and the right to use the ABAC Certification Mark in accordance with the Terms and Conditions of Certification Policy.

You may appeal against the decision of the ABAC Certification Scheme in accordance with the Appeal Procedure.

Management System Certification Mark

The Accredited Management System Certification Mark will be displayed in the following manner (example only):

Refer to Note 1 for guidance:

Note 1

1. ABMS xxxx- is the unique Certificate number issued by ABAC Certification. This shall be displayed centrally under ABAC Certification Mark.
2. 0000- is the unique Accreditation number issued to ABAC Certification by UKAS for the specific scheme for which the accreditation has been granted. This shall be disaplyed centrally under the UKAS Accreditation Symbol.
3. Rectangle Height: the minimum height for the complete rectangle is 30mm. It must never be displayed smaller than this. The maximum height for the complete rectangle is 45mm.
4. Disclaimer: In case of limitation in scope, there should be a clear disclaimer alongside the Management System Certification Mark detailing the extent/limitation of certification- “Our ABMS (example) certification is limited to those activities described on the scope of our Certificate found here”

Use of ISO Marks

ISO does not permit anyone to use the ISO Mark in connection with certification. The ISO Mark is a registered trademark and cannot be used by anyone outside of ISO, unless authorised. As ISO does not perform certification or accreditation it would be misleading to allow its Mark to be used in this way.

Use of Accreditation Body Marks

When permitted, the Certified Client is only authorised to use the accreditation marks provided by ABAC Certification and appearing on the certificates issued to the client by ABAC Certification.

Specific rules pertaining to the use of the accreditation body marks by certified clients are available as under:

• UKAS
• Standards Malaysia
• EIAC

Changes to this Policy

ABAC Certification reserves the right to change these conditions at any time, notifying the Certified Client, in writing, of all changes made. The Certified Client shall comply with the said changes within the notified timeframe. To access the latest revision of this policy, kindly click here.

Compliance to the Policy

• The compliance of this policy will be monitored at surveillance and certificate renewal assessments by ABAC Certification audit team.
• Any misuse of the certificate, Management System Certification Mark or accreditation by the client may result in suspension or withdrawal of the certification by ABAC Certification.

If you have any questions as to whether your proposed use of the certification marks/Marks on an advertisement, brochure or other promotional material is in compliance with these guidelines, please send a sample to Scheme Manager and marketing team for review.

• Scheme Manager: Huma.k@abacgroup.com
• Marketing Team: Soraia.antunes@crigroup.com or Nurul.Damia@crigroup.com

Signed

KANWAL ZAFAR, Managing Director ABAC Center of Excellence Limited

Doc# CRI-POL-014, Rev. 1.0, Date 01-03-2020

REVISION HISTORY OF THE DOCUMENT

NOTE:

Upon receipt of amendments, please

a) Remove and destroy the amended sheet(s) / page(s)

b) Replace it with superseded sheet(s) / page(s)

c) Check the controlled status

d) Inform any discrepancy observed to Management Representative