Complaints Policy

March 2024
Version 5.0Public© 2017 PeopleCert | All rights reserved
Process: Quality Management & Excellence | ID No: ….ver01.0 / 28.12.17

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1SCOPE........................................................................................................................................... 42

REVIEW ARRANGEMENTS .......................................................................................................... 43

HOW SHOULD I COMPLAIN ABOUT A PEOPLECERT PARTNER? ............................................ 44

HOW SHOULD I COMPLAIN ABOUT PEOPLECERT? ................................................................. 55

HOW SHOULD I CONTACT YOU? ............................................................................................... 56WHAT IS THE PEOPLECERT COMPLAINT PROCEDURE THAT WE FOLLOW? ......................... 67

HOW DO WE RESPOND WHEN A COMPLAINT IS UPHELD? ................................................... 7© 2024 PeopleCert | All rights reserved
Process: Manage Customer Complaints
ID No: CRM_PO_01-2 Complaints Policy ver5.0 | 15/03/2024
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Document Revision History
VersionDate

5.0
4.1
4.0
3.0

15/03/2024
18/11/2022
06/10/2022
20/11/2019

Description of Change
2024 Rebranding
Cosmetic Changes (Typographical Error)
Review 2022
Review 2019

© 2024 PeopleCert | All rights reserved
Process: Manage Customer Complaints
ID No: CRM_PO_01-2 Complaints Policy ver5.0 | 15/03/2024
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This document sets out our complaints policy and procedure and is written for our:•Accredited/Approved Organisations (AOs), our partners;•trainees on courses at one of our partners;•candidates in our PeopleCert business and IT exams; and•all interested parties who receive a direct or indirect service from us related to our business and IT
qualifications.

This document covers complaints that candidates, AOs or any interested parties may wish to make inrelation to:•PeopleCert partners;•the exams and associated services offered by PeopleCert.

We will review the policy and its associated procedures annually and revise them when necessary in
response to external feedback, new requirements set by the Regulatory authorities, Accreditors/ Test
Owners and any trends that may emerge with regard to the subject matter of complaints received.

If you are a trainee or a member of the public and you wish to complain about a level of service provided
by an AO, at which you are taking or have taken a course of study leading to your PeopleCert exam,you should first exhaust your AO’s own complaints and appeals processes.
We expect our partners to take all necessary actions to ensure that trainees, and staff involved in themanagement of training, are aware of the contents of this policy and that there is a complaint handlingprocedure and appeals process in place to deal with complaints and appeals about the services
provided.
If you have followed the AOs processes and believe that your complaint was inadequately addressedby the AO or you have not received a resolution of your complaint, then you may escalate your complaintto PeopleCert in writing within six months from its occurrence.
You may also submit a complaint directly to us in exceptional circumstances where you believe that:•

there was a significant breach of security, integrity, and confidentiality by the AO•

malpractice and/or maladministration may have occurred.

If this is the case, you should notify us of your concern as quickly as possible and we will proceed inaccordance with our Whistleblowing Policy© 2024 PeopleCert | All rights reserved
Process: Manage Customer Complaints
ID No: CRM_PO_01-2 Complaints Policy ver5.0 | 15/03/2024
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If you are a PeopleCert exam candidate or a member of the public and you wish to complain about aPeopleCert product, your exam or a level of service provided by us, you may:•

ask your AO to support your complaint•

provide consent for your AO to write to us on your behalf•

write to us directly.

We train all our staff to be aware of the contents of this policy and we have a complaint handlingprocedure and appeals process in place to deal with complaints and appeals about any services weprovide.

If you have a complaint, you can email us directly at complaints@peoplecert.org or you can visit ourhelp and support page where other support channels are available:
PeopleCert Support Channels
When you contact us, please give us your full name and contact details along with:•A full description of your complaint (including the subject matter and dates and times if known).

•Details of the training course (course name, trainer’s name, training venue address, duration, etc).

•Details of the exam involved (type of exam, invigilator’s name, etc).

•Copies of any evidence relating to the complaint (correspondence with the AO or with us,screenshots, etc).

Sometimes you may wish to remain anonymous. If you are concerned about possible adverse
consequences, you do not need to contact us anonymously if you inform us that you do not wish for us
to divulge your identity.
While we are prepared to investigate issues that are reported to us anonymously, we will always try toconfirm an allegation by means of a separate investigation before taking up the matter with those towhom the complaint relates.
Please note that there may be cases where revealing your name and email will be mandatory for us toinvestigate a case, for example to locate a candidate or a particular exam.

© 2024 PeopleCert | All rights reserved
Process: Manage Customer Complaints
ID No: CRM_PO_01-2 Complaints Policy ver5.0 | 15/03/2024
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48 hours
after yourcomplaint

In all cases, our Customer Service team will assign your complaint a unique reference
number.

4 businessdays after
yourcomplaint

If your complaint relates to a PeopleCert product, exam or any of our services, andour Customer Service agents are authorised to investigate for you and respond within
existing business rules, we will provide a full resolution to your complaint within 4business days.

10businessdays after
yourcomplaint

If your complaint relates to our operational services and performance, yourcomplaint will be referred to our Operational Excellence team for an investigation.
This will include reviewing your correspondence with us and/or reviewing your exam
to assess the delivery of services according to our standards.

Our Customer Service team will also formally acknowledge in writing receipt ofyour complaint within 48 hours outlining the steps that we will follow and when we
expect our investigation will conclude.

If your complaint relates to policies and procedures set by our products andservices business teams, your complaint will be referred to the relevant businessteam for investigation. This will include reviewing your complaint and our policies andprocedures.
Where a review of our policies, procedures and services against our quality
standards is required, we will address your complaint to PeopleCert’s Quality team.
Independent investigators may be assigned, as deemed appropriate. The Quality
team will always write to you directly to confirm that it has received your complaint
and to outline the steps it will follow.
In all instances, PeopleCert will ensure that the investigation is carried out in a promptand effective manner and in accordance with internal procedures. We will allocate
a senior member of staff to manage the case who has had no previous involvement
and has no personal interest in the outcome of your complaint.
Where such investigations are required, we aim to investigate the complaint andreport the outcomes and decisions regarding the complaint in writing within 10business days.

15businessdays after
yourcomplaint

If your complaint is more complex, involves external advice, a complaint against apartner, or members of staff who are not available at the time, we may extend theinvestigation to 15 business days. We will always inform you in writing if this isnecessary.
We may contact you within this period to seek further information or clarification. In
some instances, we may recommend a call or a meeting.

If you disagree with our final decision, you have a right to submit an appeal to us. You can find ourappeal policy here.
You may also escalate your complaint at any point to the competent national authorities.

© 2024 PeopleCert | All rights reserved
Process: Manage Customer Complaints
ID No: CRM_PO_01-2 Complaints Policy ver5.0 | 15/03/2024
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In situations where a complaint has been upheld, for example where an investigation indicates a failure
in our processes, we will give due consideration to the outcome, review any lessons learned, and takeappropriate actions. Examples include:•

Identifying any other trainee/candidate and/or AO affected by that failure.

•Correcting, or mitigating as far as possible the effect of the failure.

•Reviewing and amending our policies and procedures, where appropriate, to reduce the likelihoodthat the failure will reoccur in the future.

•Retraining or initiating disciplinary procedures against members of our staff and retraining or
imposing sanctions on partners whose performance was not in accordance with our policies,procedures and requirements.

© 2024 PeopleCert | All rights reserved
Process: Manage Customer ComplaintsID No: CRM_PO_01-2 Complaints Policy ver5.0 | 15/03/2024
Page 7 of 8Ε-mail: info@peoplecert.org, www.peoplecert.org
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