Certification Scrutiny Committee

Members are selected through a rigorous application process and join the committee for a term of 3 years, which can be renewed for a further 3 years. In exceptional circumstances this can be extended to a maximum of 9 years.

CSC members are stakeholders representing one or more of these key interests:

• client (forestry and organic)

• non-licensed operator (forestry and organic

• retailer, brandholder, manufacturer or user of the certification logos

• member of a consumer organisation

• professional or academic organisation

• certification expert

• inspection/audit expert

• governmental or regulatory body

• scheme owner

• industry/sector expert

• NGO

Each committee member is bound by a strict confidentiality agreement and remains impartial.

At its bi-annual meetings the CSC’s role is to:

• safeguard and ensure the impartiality of Soil Association Certification’s processes

• ensure we are operating to the high level of integrity expected of us

• review our activities, ensuring we operate in accordance with the requirements of ISO 17065, ISO 14065, ISO 17029 and ISO 17021 (International standard for product certification)

• maintain oversight, and ensure the effectiveness, of our quality management system

The CSC reviews our work in several ways, including interviewing Soil Association Certification staff; selecting and reviewing a sample of our certification decisions, complaint and certification files; examining sponsorship selection; and checking that our top 100 fee payers are treated impartially.

The certification schemes that the CSC reviews include:

• Soil Association organic

• GB/NI organic

• Canadian Organic Regime (COR)

• Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)

• COSMOS organic and natural

• Forest Stewardship Council^® (FSC^®)

• Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC)

• Woodland Carbon Code