We distinguish between direct and indirect complaints management.
Direct complaint management
The direct management of complaints is activated when we receive a complaint.
The process is structured as follows:
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- Contact point via website, e-mail or comment function in social media
- Receiving complaints: The management is currently responsible for this. Complaints received via social media are forwarded to the management by the Public Relations department.
- Complaint processing: The management will process the complaint immediately.
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A response to the complaint is prioritized according to sender and content:
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- Customer complaints: reply within 7 days
- Public complaints: reply within 3 weeks
- Employee complaints: reply within 3 weeks
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- The complaint response is determined depending on the content and the damage caused.
Label abuse
a) by the customer: Request for rectification, certification body is called in. The provisions of the contracts then apply.
b) by third-party companies: one-time request to remove the label from the website, take products off the market. At the same time, hand over to a lawyer. Trademark and copyright protection laws then apply here.
Communication
a) Minor misconduct with a low probability of repetition generates an apology
b) Medium misconduct with a likelihood of repetition generates an apology and a review of the structural processes
c) Serious misconduct that causes harm and has a high likelihood of recurrence generates an apology and a review of processes.
Standard contents
If the complaint is in line with our sustainable principles for criteria development, we consider the criticism or complaint in the working group meetings or incorporate it directly into the standards. However, if the complaint is not in line with our principles and values, this will result in the complaint being rejected.
Service
a) is justified, e.g. due to slow processing, non-response or being put off three times, will, in the opinion of the management, result in an apology, in rare and extreme cases possibly a credit note.
b) unjustified, e.g. due to incorrect addressees (we did not cause the reason for the complaint), rejection of a certification decision, audit appointments or behavior of auditors on site, generates a conciliation process. In the case of unreasonable customers who are unable to cooperate with the tasks and activities of certification, we unfortunately have to part company.
Indirect complaint management
In indirect complaint management, we use the complaints submitted to us as helpful tips for improvement. The complaints are collected and evaluated. An assessment of the relevance and significance of
for the continuous improvement process takes place in the annual management review.