Become a GRCA Accredited Certification Body
Get approved by the GRCA to join our worldwide network. Get access to new business prospects by showcasing your knowledge and independence. Our approval procedure guarantees your expertise and reliability, improving your standing within the sector. Join our prestigious list of recognized certification organizations by submitting an application right now.
Certification Bodies (CBs) and the GRCA Certification System
For our certification programs to be delivered, the GRCA certification system depends on a network of respectable Certification Bodies (CBs). In order to guarantee that they fulfill our strict requirements, our CBs are carefully chosen and authorized. They then go on to perform audits and assessments against GRCA standards, certify firms that satisfy the requirements, keep records, and submit reports to GRCA. We require objectivity, competence, and adherence to our policies and standards from our CBs and provide them with extensive training, direction, and access to our certification body site. By collaborating, we make sure that top-notch certification services are delivered to businesses all over the world, giving our CBs increased credibility and recognition as well as commercial growth prospects.
steps to becoming a GRCA approved CB
Register your company with GRCA by making an account and entering some basic data. This opens the GRCA web portal and starts the approval procedure. To administer your application, you’ll get a special ID and login information.
Obtain accreditation by proving your proficiency in certification activities from an accredited accrediting authority. To achieve this, one must adhere to ISO/IEC 17021 or comparable standards and pass a demanding evaluation procedure. To receive GRCA clearance, accreditation is required.
Send your application, together with the necessary paperwork, to GRCA. This covers quality control procedures, technological know-how, certification procedures, and other pertinent information. In order to prevent delays in the approval process, make sure everything is accurate and comprehensive.
Get GRCA’s provisional permission, subject to an audit that is completed successfully on-site. This shows that although your company has complied with the basic criteria, it still has to show that it is competent in real-world situations. The audit needs to be scheduled during the short period that the provisional approval is valid.
Become a GRCA recognized Certification Body by passing the on-site audit and getting final approval. By maintaining high quality and excellence standards, this attests to your organization’s capacity to carry out certification operations in compliance with GRCA regulations. GRCA’s certification marks and materials are accessible upon final approval.
GRCA Accreditation Requirements
The following accreditation standards must be fulfilled by Certification Bodies (CBs) in order to guarantee a consistent, high degree of quality and integrity in the GRCA certification program:
Recognized Accreditation Body (AB):
To demonstrate their dedication to maintaining our standards, the AB and GRCA must have a written agreement.
International Accreditation Forum (IAF) Membership:
The AB's membership in the IAF attests to its commitment to the principles of international accreditation.
Multilateral Recognition Arrangement (MLA) Signatory:
Multilateral Recognition Arrangement (MLA) Signatory: In order to be certified as a competent authority for products, the AB needs to sign the MLA. This can be confirmed by a favorable peer assessment report.
CBs may guarantee that their certification services uphold the highest standards of quality and integrity and that their accreditation is acknowledged worldwide by fulfilling these requirements.
Certification Body Resources
Find everything you need to know, from GRCA IT systems to important documents and FAQs
What are the costs for approved CBs?
License Fees
A one-time evaluation charge for an initial application or scope extension, an annual basic licensing price, supplemental fees for extra scopes or add-ons, and country-specific fees for each nation where a certificate is awarded are among the license fees that CBs pay to the GRCA Secretariat.
Training Fees
CBs should set aside money for both required and suggested trainings. The CB training catalog via CB-AT contains information on training costs. An individual receives one scheme manager update training per year as part of the yearly CB licensing price.
Registration and Certificate/Assessment License Fees
The GRCA registration cost and certificate/assessment license fee, which are size-based fees for each producer audited or assessed, are billed to CBs. To cover the expense, CBs send an invoice to the producer for this amount.
FAQs
The following documents are required for certification body application:
– Proof of liability insurance
– Accreditation certificate from a recognized body
– Letter confirming conflict of interest prevention measures
– Documents showing scheme manager and in-house trainer meet farm auditor requirements
– Documents showing at least one person meets QMS auditor requirements (Option 1) or two people meet QMS auditor requirements (Option 2)
Note: Additional documents may be required.”
CB performance is assessed based on 7 key areas: head office performance, audit quality, processing time, audit timing, database management, complaint management, and administrative management.
CBs should budget for two types of fees: license fees and training fees.
License fees include an evaluation fee, annual basic license fee, and supplementary fees for additional products and countries. Training fees are listed in the CB training catalog. The annual license fee includes one scheme manager update training.
CBs also pay a registration fee and certificate/assessment license fee, which is a size-based fee per producer audited or assessed. All fee information is in the GRCA fee table, except for accreditation fees which are handled separately.
