Rules and Regulations for Certification- Multi-sit Organization

Criteria for Granting Certification of a Multi-site organization:
2.1. General rules and regulation- (Document PID-01)
2.1.1. The rules & regulations specified in the document, PID-01 shall be applicable to all
organizations applying for certification to PQS.
2.2. Rules and regulation- Multi site
2.2.1. For multi-site organizations the rules & regulations specified in this document, PID-03 shall be
additionally applicable. All organizations seeking multi-site certification shall essentially comply with
these.
2.3. Eligibility
2.3.1. Multi-site organization is defined as an organization having an identified central function
(central office) at which certain activities are planned, controlled or managed and a network of local
offices and branches (sites) at which such activities are fully or partially carried out.
2.3.2. A multi site organization need not be a unique legal entity, but all sites shall have a legal or
contractual link with the central office and be subject to a common management system. The
management system is laid down, established and subject to continuous surveillance and internal audits
by the central office. This means that the central office has rights to ensure that the sites implement
corrective actions when needed at any site.
2.3.3. The processes at all the sites have to be substantially of the same kind and have to be operated to
similar methods and procedures. Where some of the sites under consideration conduct similar, but
fewer processes than others, they may be eligible for inclusion provided that the site or sites, which
conduct most processes or critical processes, are subject to full audit . All the sites should be in the
same country.
2.3.4. Organizations, which conduct their business through linked processes in different locations, are
also eligible for certification under multi-site. Where processes in each location are not similar but are
clearly linked, the sampling plan shall include at least one example of each processes conducted by the

organization (e.g. fabrication of electronic component in one location, assembly of the same
components – by the same company in several other locations)
2.3.5. The organization’s management system shall be under a centrally controlled and administered
plan and be subject to central management review. All the relevant sites including the central office
shall be subject to the organization’s internal audit program and all sites have been audited prior to
certification audit.
2.3.6. The central office has established the management system in accordance with the relevant ISO
or other standard and the whole organization meets the requirements of the standard including relevant
legal regulations.
2.3.7. The organization should demonstrate its ability to collect and analyze data (system
documentation and changes, management review, complaints, corrective actions, internal audit, legal
requirements etc) from all sites including the central office and its authority and also demonstrate its
authority and ability to initiate organization changes if required.
2.3.8. If all the sites of an organization where the activity subject to certification is performed are not
ready to be submitted for certification at the same time, the organization shall be required to inform
PQS in advance of the sites that it wants to be included in the certification and those which are to be
excluded.
2.4. Nonconformities.
2.4.1. Whenever any non-conformity is found at an individual site, either through the organization’s
internal auditing or auditing by PQS , the organization shall investigate whether it leads to a system
deficiency affecting all other sites or limited to the particular site only. If it is found a system
deficiency correction and corrective action should be performed both at central office and at the
individual sites. If the corrective action is limited to only the site where the nonconformity has been
reported, the organization should be able to demonstrate to PQS, the justification for limiting its follow
up corrective action.
2.4.2. At the time of the decision making process, if any site has nonconformity pending the
certification shall be denied to the whole network pending satisfactory corrective action.
2.4.3. It shall not be admissible that, in order to overcome the obstacle raised by the existence of nonconformity
at a single site, the organization seeks to exclude from the scope the “problematic site “site
during the certification process. Such exclusion can only be agreed in advance as stated in section
2.3.8.

2.5. Certification Document
2.5.1. PQS shall issue the certificate after completing the procedural requirements (PID-01) and the
sites included in the certificate are either individually audited or audited as per a sampling scheme as
defined in PQS procedure.
2.5.2. PQS shall withdraw the entire certificate if the central office or any of the sites does not fulfill
the necessary provisions for the maintenance of the certification.
2.5.3. As the list of sites needs to be updated by PQS, the organization shall inform PQS about the
closure of any of the sites covered by the certification. Failure to provide such information will be
considered by PQS as a misuse of the certification and PQS shall initiate appropriate action for
suspension as specified in PID-02.
2.5.4. PQS shall grant additional sites to the existing certification either through the routine
surveillance, special audit or re-certification audit.
2.6. Sampling
2.6.1. The number of sites selected for certification shall be based on the norms framed by PQS to
meet the requirements of the applicable standard.
2.6.2. It is not necessary to select the sites before starting of the audit process, but can also be done
after the audit of the central office.
Note: This document should be read in conjunction with general Rules & Regulations for Certification
specified in PID-01.