C & A Policy

• The complaint process is made publicly available for all the interested parties at the company website – www.tekstech.com, to facilitate the logging of a complaint. A copy of the Appeals and Complaints Policy is uploaded on the company website as well. In case of reporting a complaint online (https://tekstech.com/contact-us/), please clearly mention as “Complaint” in the PURPOSE field.
• Complaint may be submitted to: contact@tekstech.com also available on the company website.
• Complaints may be submitted through post. The address is provide in the website (www.tekstech.com). In case of postal complaint, the headline must be written as “COMPLAINTS”, so that the post will only be reached to the designated person. The address line as below: Teks Tech Inspection India Pvt. Ltd., Unit No: 24, Amrapali Village, Nyaya Khand-II, Indirapuram, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India.
• Complaints can also be made through telephone using the number +91 120 4123623 during office hours (10:00 hours to 18:00 hours, from Monday to Friday). While dialling for a complaint, please tell the operator to register a complaint and contact to “Head – Audits”.
• Complaints can be made through in-person to “Head – Audits”.
• The complainant must include the following information in their complaint submission:
  • Contact information for the complainant.
  • A clear description of the aggrieved action (date, place, nature of action) and which parties or individuals are associated with the action.
  • An explanation as to how the action is alleged to violate or be inconsistent with a requirement, being as specific as possible with respect to the applicable requirements.
  • A proposal of what actions would, in the opinion of the complainant, rectify the matter.
• On receipt of a complaint, “Head – Audits” or his assigned person will register the complaint in “Teks Tech Complaint Register”. An acknowledgement of the receipt of the complaint should be provided to the complainant.

4.2 Addressing complaints

• The Complaint thus received shall be forwarded to the respective Program Manager for a detailed review. The Program Manager shall acknowledge receipt of the complaint within 48 hours and check the genuineness of the complaint.
• Teks Tech is committed to considering substantive complaints from any party that is aligned with the long-term goals of Teks Tech and is registered in good faith. However, if this procedure is being employed by a ‘vexatious litigant’ for reasons not aligned with Teks Tech’s principles and long-term goals, then it reserves the right to reject the complaint as without merit.

Other probable situations in which Teks Tech may find a complaint inadmissible include:

• •  Complaints that appear to be related to private disputes or for the purpose of gaining competitive advantage.
  • Complaints filed with ulterior motives.
  • Complaints that lack sufficient objective evidence; and
  • Complaints that do not explicitly relate to Teks Tech’s activities or to programs owned or managed by Teks Tech.
• If the complaint is deemed valid, it shall be logged and promptly communicated to the candidate.
• If the complaint is determined to be invalid, the candidate will be promptly notified.
• Any complaints directed towards any external associate of Teks Tech, (i.e., – sub-contractor/freelancer/language expert, will be duly addressed as per this policy and not be dismissed. Teks Tech is responsible for the external associate’s performance if related to the auditing/verification services or processes where their services were engaged.
• If a complaint is deemed valid, it shall be categorized and escalated to the Director.
• Teks Tech shall be impartial and unbiased while handling the complaints.
• Teks Tech will retain the anonymity of the complainant in relation to the client if this is requested by the complainant.
• Submission, investigation, and decision on complaints shall not result in any discriminatory or retaliatory actions against the complainant or respondent.

4.3 Investigation of complaints

• Head – Audits or Director shall assign a competent person who was not involved with the audit and/or decision-making process related to the complaint for the role of an investigator to investigate the complaint.
• The investigator handling the complaint will gather and verify all necessary information to validate it.
• The investigator shall keep the complainant and other associated individuals informed throughout the process in a transparent manner.
• The investigator shall solicit and collect any additional information necessary to investigate the complaint. The investigation will be based primarily upon the complaint statement and any written documentary evidence supplied by the complainant.
• The investigator may augment the documentary evidence submitted by the complainant with telephone and email interviews.
• The investigator, if authorized by the Director, may opt to conduct a site inspection to cross-verify the documentary evidence and/or the complainant’s statements.
• Prepare a written report in which the investigator’s findings and recommendations are presented. This report should be submitted to the Director within 90 days of receipt of the complaint.
• When applicable, a progress report will be sent to the complainant.
• If deemed appropriate, Teks Tech may engage a competent, impartial external third party for complaint investigation purpose.

4.4 Resolution of complaints

• Teks Tech shall ensure appropriate corrective and preventative action is taken in response to any complaints found to have merit, after a thorough impartial investigation.
• Complaints shall be resolved through an investigation and validation process, CAPA to be documented as needed including root cause, corrections and/or corrective actions to be taken in response to the complaint.
• Once the report is submitted by the Investigator to the Director, the Director will undertake the following tasks:
  • Review the report to determine if further information is required from the investigator.
  • Review internal systems and standard-specific requirements and issue internal non-conformities and/or recommendations, where appropriate.
• Verify that all the steps defined above have been properly completed.
  • All issues identified by the complainant are addressed in the investigation,
  • The root causes for all the issues are documented, and actions addresses all root causes.
  • Complete all actions as assigned, attach evidence of implementation.
• Under normal circumstances, the report will be completed and submitted to the complainant and relevant parties within 120 days of receipt of the complaint.

4.5 Communications

• Head – Audits shall keep complainant updated on progress status to the complainant throughout the process.
• Whenever possible, the outcome of the complaint investigation will be provided in writing to the complainant and other relevant parties (e.g., relevant participating stakeholders), and may include the disposition of the complaint, the report (or a summary thereof), and the final decision.
• Once the CAPA has been completed, inform complainant of the completed actions. This must be done by e-mail or formal letter. If you confirm verbally with the client, a follow-up e-mail must be sent to confirm discussion.

NOTE: The communication, e-mail or letter, must indicate that they have the right to appeal if they are not satisfied with the resolution of the complaint.

4.6 Complaint Closure

• The Director is responsible for monitoring the progress of open complaints. If no response is received from the complainant within six weeks after the last communication, the complaint will be deemed closed.
• The complaint may be withdrawn at any point in the resolution process at the complainant’s sole discretion. In such cases, the resolution process will be terminated by Teks Tech and recorded as such.
• Teks Tech shall submit a report to the complainant regarding the conclusion of its investigation.
• Close the complaint process and ensure the outcome and all associated actions are properly recorded.

5. Documentation and records

• All complaints shall be logged and actioned, with records of proper closure of complaint maintained.
• All documentation related to the complaint, including the initial submission, evidence, investigation records, final decision and corrective action, shall be recorded and retained by the Investigator for a minimum of 5 years.
• All complaints shall be compiled and analysed annually to identify systemic problems and develop appropriate solutions. An annual summary of complaints shall be prepared by the “Head – Audits” or assigned personnel, that includes:

• • Number of complaints received, allegedly valid and substantiated.
  • Source of the complaints, including the percentage of anonymous complaints.
  • Breakdown by type of complaints (Example: technical issues, protocol violations, ethics etc.).  
  • Percentage of substantiated and unsubstantiated allegations.
  • Disciplinary actions taken, by type and number.
  • Corrective actions learnings to be used during internal calibrations.

6. Confidentiality

• Teks Tech is committed to maintaining the highest degree of confidentiality in handling all complaints. All individuals involved in the complaint process, including the complainant, the respondent, any witnesses, the investigation team members, and the audit team members, are strictly obligated to maintain the confidentiality of all information received or created during the process. This obligation exists during and after the conclusion of the complaint process or termination of employment/engagement.
• All information pertaining to a complaint, including the identity of the Complainant, the Respondent, witnesses, and all related documentation, shall be treated as strictly confidential. This information will only be disclosed to individuals who need to know it to perform their role in the investigation and resolution process, or as required by law, unless the client and complainant consents to its disclosure.
• Recipients of Confidential Information must protect it using reasonable security safeguards that is used to protect Teks Tech’s own data and information. Adequate measures shall be undertaken to prevent unauthorised access, storage, transmission, use, or disclosure of data.
• Information about a complaint and its resolution may be provided to relevant external stakeholders upon request when reasonable justification is provided and with consent of the client and/or complainant. In such cases, the external stakeholder will be subject to a non-disclosure agreement in relation to the complaint and the information therein.
• Any breach of this confidentiality policy may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment and legal proceedings.
• Exclusions from Confidentiality: The obligation of confidentiality does not apply –
  • To information that is publicly available or becomes known through no fault of Teks Tech.
  • Was rightfully known to Teks Tech prior to the date of the complaint.
  • Any other method the information may have been obtained by external parties that is beyond the control of Teks Tech.

7. Disclosure of Complaints

Scope of Permitted Disclosure:

Confidential Information shall only be disclosed under the following limited circumstances:

• Legal Requirement: Where disclosure is required by applicable law, regulation, court order, or governmental authority (e.g., a regulator or law enforcement agency). In such cases, the disclosing party shall, if legally permissible, provide prompt notice to the affected parties to allow them an opportunity to seek a protective order or other remedy.
• Preventing Harm: Where the Company, in its reasonable discretion, believes disclosure is necessary to prevent a serious risk of harm to any person or to the public interest (e.g., in cases of significant wrongdoing or criminal activities impacting public concern).
• Auditing Program Partners: Information may be shared with the Teks Tech’s Program partners (e.g., SLCP/APSCA/Cascale/Sumerra/ZDHC etc.), provided there is a protocol obligation with such partner(s), and such entities are bound by confidentiality obligations comparable to those herein.
• Employee Consent: In cases where it is necessary and unavoidable to disclose the identity of the employee/associate, it shall be done with the explicit, written consent of the individual whose confidential information is being disclosed.
• Public Disclosure of Complaints:
  • When the complaint is against an audited client/facility, the subject of the complaint is not to be made public unless Teks Tech, the complainant, and the client decide together as to what extent the subject of the complaint and the resolution shall be made public.
  • Teks Tech will not make complaints against itself or any of its client’s public unless required to do so by a court of law.