Certification Body Policy Manual

This policy sets out HRCI's commitment to the certification of products, services, premises, and management systems as Halal in strict accordance with Shariah (Islamic Law) requirements and recognised international and national halal standards.

This policy applies to all halal certification schemes operated by HRCI, including food and beverages, cosmetics and personal care, pharmaceuticals, logistics and warehousing, slaughterhouses (abattoirs), food service establishments, and halal management systems.

HRCI certifies only products, processes, and services that are free from Najs (impurities) and Haram (prohibited) substances, and that comply with Shariah principles governing sourcing, handling, processing, storage, transportation, and labelling, as interpreted by its Shariah Advisory Committee/Halal Committee.

HRCI shall not link certification to the sale or provision of consultancy services, nor represent, or allow a related body to represent, that certification would be simpler, easier, faster, or less expensive if a specific consultancy organisation is used.

HRCI applies recognised reference standards, including but not limited to SMIIC 1 (OIC/SMIIC General Guidelines on Halal Food), GSO 993 and GSO 2055 series, MS 1500, and other national or regional halal standards as required by the jurisdiction of application, and maintains equivalence mapping where mutual recognition arrangements exist.

All animal-derived raw materials shall originate from animals slaughtered in accordance with Islamic slaughtering (Zabiha) requirements performed by a Muslim slaughterman of sound mind, invoking the name of Allah (Tasmiyah) at the time of slaughter, unless the client uses an alternative Shariah-compliant method accepted by the Halal Committee.

Cross-contamination controls, segregation of halal and non-halal lines, dedicated or validated cleaning-in-place procedures, and traceability of critical ingredients back to source are mandatory conditions of certification.

HRCI maintains an independent Halal Committee comprising qualified Shariah scholars and halal-food-science experts who: approve and periodically review the Halal Standard(s) applied; rule on Shariah status of ingredients, additives, and processing aids; approve or reject certification decisions on Shariah grounds; and issue fatwas or guidance notes on novel or disputed ingredients.

No certification decision is issued without the Halal Committee's endorsement or standing delegated authority for routine matters.

Every certified site with animal slaughter, processing, or high-risk cross-contamination exposure shall have an appointed, HRCI-approved Halal/Muslim Supervisor responsible for day-to-day Shariah compliance monitoring between audits, subject to periodic competence verification by HRCI.

All critical and high-risk ingredients require documented halal certificates from HRCI-recognised certification bodies or equivalent verified evidence, ingredient-level Shariah risk assessment, and, where necessary, laboratory testing (e.g., for alcohol, gelatine, or porcine DNA) using HRCI-approved or accredited laboratories.

The Halal Committee owns Shariah compliance decisions; the Technical/Certification Manager owns operational implementation; auditors verify on-site compliance; clients are contractually obligated to maintain conformity between audits and to notify HRCI immediately of any Shariah non-conformance, ingredient change, or supplier change.

This policy and the underlying Halal Standard(s) are reviewed at least annually by the Halal Committee, and immediately upon material regulatory, scientific, or Shariah developments.

This policy confirms HRCI's commitment to establishing, implementing, maintaining, and continually improving a Management System that meets the requirements of ISO/IEC 17065 (Conformity assessment — Requirements for bodies certifying products, processes and services), applicable halal accreditation criteria, and relevant regulatory requirements.

Top management demonstrates leadership and commitment by defining the quality and halal policies, ensuring resources are available, communicating the importance of effective conformity assessment, and ensuring the Management System achieves its intended outcomes.

HRCI adopts a risk-based, process-based approach, mapping interrelated certification processes (application, review, audit planning, evaluation, decision, surveillance, and reassessment) and monitoring key performance indicators for each.

The Management System is documented through a Quality/Certification Manual, procedures, work instructions, and records, maintained under document control (version numbering, approval, and controlled distribution) and record control (retention, protection, and disposal) requirements.

HRCI's organisational structure defines clear lines of authority and accountability, separating certification decision-making from sales and marketing functions, and identifying a Management Representative accountable for Management System conformity.

HRCI determines, provides, and maintains the competence of personnel (auditors, technical experts, halal supervisors, reviewers, and decision-makers), infrastructure, and working environment necessary for reliable certification activities, including access to appropriately qualified Shariah expertise.

HRCI conducts a programme of internal audits at planned intervals covering all Management System requirements and locations, and conducts at least one management review annually addressing impartiality, complaints/appeals, performance of personnel, status of corrective/preventive actions, changes in the external and internal environment, and adequacy of resources.

Nonconformities identified through internal audit, complaints, appeals, monitoring, or external assessment are addressed through root-cause analysis and corrective action, and lessons learned are used to drive continual improvement of the Management System.

Top management is accountable for the Management System's effectiveness; the Management Representative coordinates its operation; all personnel are responsible for complying with documented procedures applicable to their role.

This policy is reviewed at least annually as part of management review and updated to reflect changes in applicable standards, accreditation requirements, or organisational context.

HRCI is committed to conducting its certification activities in a non-discriminatory manner and to administering its services in a manner that is accessible to all applicants and clients, without unjustified obstacles.

HRCI shall not deny, restrict, or condition its certification services on the basis of race, colour, national or ethnic origin, gender, religion, sect, disability, age, size of organisation, or membership of any association or group, except where such distinction is legitimately required by the scope of certification or by law.

HRCI's procedures are applied in the same manner to every client and every applicant for certification, irrespective of the size of the client organisation or membership of any association or group, and HRCI does not require an applicant to be a member of any association or group, nor is certification conditional upon the number of certifications already issued.Certification rules and requirements are not used to restrict access other than as stipulated in Shariah-based halal standards, ISO/IEC 17065, and applicable accreditation requirements, which apply equally to all clients within a given scope. HRCI makes information about its certification process, requirements, and fees publicly available and provides reasonable accommodation for access to its services (for example, translated documentation, or accessible communication formats) upon request, wherever practicable.

HRCI extends the same non-discriminatory principles to its recruitment, employment, training, and promotion of personnel, auditors, and technical experts, ensuring decisions are based solely on competence, qualification, and merit.

Any applicant, client, or employee who believes they have experienced discrimination may raise the matter under the Appeal & Complaint Policy (HRCI-POL-09), and such reports are investigated without any adverse consequence to the person raising the concern.

The Board of Directors and the Impartiality Committee jointly oversee compliance with this policy. All personnel are required to apply certification rules and requirements consistently and to report any observed discriminatory practice.

This policy is reviewed at least annually and upon any relevant change in applicable law or accreditation requirements.

This policy defines how HRCI creates, maintains, protects, retains, and disposes of records generated through its certification, halal supervisory, and management system activities, ensuring traceability, confidentiality, and compliance with accreditation and legal requirements.

This policy covers application records, audit and evaluation records, certification decisions, certificates issued, surveillance and reassessment records, complaints and appeals, halal committee decisions and fatwas, laboratory test results, personnel competence records, and Management System records, whether held in physical or electronic form.

Records are created and maintained to demonstrate the effective operation of the Management System and to provide objective evidence supporting each certification decision, including sufficient detail to enable the audit trail to be reconstructed.

Minimum retention periods are: Certification and audit records — for the full duration of certificate validity plus a minimum of six (6) years thereafter; Complaints and appeals records — a minimum of six (6) years from resolution; Halal Committee decisions and fatwas — retained permanently as reference material; Personnel competence and impartiality declaration records — for the duration of engagement plus six (6) years; Financial and fee records — in accordance with applicable tax and corporate law, and no less than seven (7) years.Where a longer retention period is required by accreditation bodies, regulators, halal authorities, or applicable law, the longer period prevails.

All records are treated as confidential and are protected against unauthorised access, alteration, loss, and disclosure through access controls, backup procedures, and, for electronic records, encryption and secure storage, consistent with HRCI's confidentiality obligations to clients. Records may be disclosed to accreditation bodies, halal authorities, or regulators as legally required, or to third parties with the explicit consent of the client, or where required by law.

HRCI maintains backup copies of critical records at a secure, geographically separate location, and tests recovery procedures periodically to ensure records remain retrievable in the event of loss of primary records.

Upon expiry of the applicable retention period, records are securely destroyed (shredding for physical records; secure deletion for electronic records) unless retention is otherwise required, and disposal is logged.

The Management Representative is responsible for the records management system; all personnel are responsible for accurately creating and promptly filing records relevant to their role.

This policy is reviewed at least annually and upon changes in applicable data protection, accreditation, or halal authority requirements.

This policy sets out the circumstances and process by which HRCI suspends, withdraws, cancels, or reduces the scope of a halal certification, ensuring that certified status accurately reflects a client's ongoing compliance.

HRCI shall suspend a certificate, in whole or in part, where: the certified client's management system has persistently or seriously failed to meet certification requirements, including halal compliance requirements; the client fails to permit surveillance or reassessment audits at the required frequency; the client requests suspension voluntarily; or a critical non-conformity (including any suspected use of Haram/Najs material, cross-contamination, or breach of Zabiha requirements) is identified and not immediately corrected.

During suspension, the client's certification is temporarily invalid, and the client shall immediately cease use of the halal certification mark, logo, and any reference to certified status in marketing, packaging, or advertising for the affected scope. Suspension shall not normally exceed six (6) months. Within this period, the client must implement agreed corrective actions verified by HRCI, failing which the certificate is withdrawn.

HRCI shall withdraw or cancel a certificate where: the cause of suspension is not resolved within the defined period; the client requests withdrawal; the client ceases operations, becomes insolvent, or otherwise ceases to exist; the client is found to have misused the certification mark or made false halal claims; or the client fails to pay applicable fees within the agreed terms after due notice.

Upon withdrawal or cancellation, the client shall immediately cease all use of the halal certificate and mark, return or destroy certificates and related materials as instructed, and remove all halal claims from products, packaging, premises, and promotional material within a period specified by HRCI (normally not exceeding thirty (30) days). HRCI shall update its public register of certified clients without delay following any suspension, withdrawal, or cancellation, and shall, where warranted, notify relevant accreditation bodies, halal authorities, and regulators.

HRCI shall reduce the scope of certification where non-conformity is confirmed for specific product lines, sites, or processes only, while the remaining scope continues to demonstrate conformity, and shall revise the certificate and public register accordingly.

A suspended certificate may be reinstated only after HRCI has verified, through documented evidence and/or a follow-up audit, that the issues giving rise to suspension have been effectively resolved.

Clients subject to suspension, withdrawal, cancellation, or reduction of scope may appeal the decision in accordance with the Appeal & Complaint Policy (HRCI-POL-09).

The Certification Decision-Maker, informed by the Halal Committee for Shariah-related matters, is responsible for suspension, withdrawal, cancellation, and reduction decisions. The Compliance/Legal function is responsible for enforcement of mark usage cessation.

This policy is reviewed at least annually.

This policy establishes the principles governing the determination, communication, and collection of fees for halal certification and related services provided by HRCI, ensuring transparency and consistency, and safeguarding impartiality.

Fees are determined based on objective factors, including the complexity of the product/process/service, number of sites, number of production lines, number of employees, audit duration (calculated per applicable audit-day guidance), scope of certification, and applicable travel and subsistence costs, and are not linked in any way to the outcome of the certification decision.

A standard, published Fee Schedule is made available to all applicants and clients upon request and is applied consistently to all clients within comparable circumstances, in accordance with the Non-Discrimination Policy (HRCI-POL-04).Fee categories include: Application Fee (non-refundable, covering initial review); Certification Audit Fee (Stage 1 and Stage 2, or initial halal assessment); Surveillance Audit Fee (periodic, as required by the certification scheme); Recertification/Reassessment Fee; Fees for additional/unplanned audits arising from complaints, significant changes, or corrective action verification; Certificate/Mark Licence Fee; and administrative fees (e.g., for scope changes, certificate reissue, or expedited processing).

A written quotation is issued prior to commencement of certification activities, and certification proceeds only upon acceptance of the quotation and execution of the Certification Agreement, which specifies fees, payment terms, and conditions for fee revision.

Invoices are payable within the period stated on the invoice (standard: thirty (30) days from issue). Failure to pay outstanding fees within the agreed terms, after due notice, may result in suspension or withdrawal of certification in accordance with the Suspension, Withdrawal, Cancellation & Reduction Policy (HRCI-POL-06).

Application fees are non-refundable once review has commenced. Fees for audits already conducted are non-refundable. Where HRCI is unable to perform a scheduled service due to its own fault, fees paid for that specific service are refunded or credited at the client's election.

The Fee Schedule is reviewed at least annually by management, taking into account operating costs, market conditions, and accreditation body fee obligations, and any revision is communicated to clients with reasonable prior notice before taking effect.

No commission, bonus, or other inducement is paid to sales personnel, auditors, or decision-makers based on the certification outcome, the number of certificates issued, or client referrals, in order to protect the impartiality of certification decisions.

Finance function is responsible for invoicing and collection; the Certification Manager is responsible for fee estimation; the Board approves the annual Fee Schedule.

This policy states HRCI's commitment to providing halal certification services of consistently high quality, integrity, and reliability, to the satisfaction of clients, consumers, regulators, and accreditation bodies.

HRCI is committed to: performing all certification activities with competence, consistency, and impartiality, in full conformance with ISO/IEC 17065, applicable halal standards, and accreditation requirements; ensuring that halal certification decisions are technically sound, Shariah-compliant, and evidence-based; continually improving the effectiveness of the Management System through measurable objectives, monitoring, and management review; ensuring the competence of all personnel through defined qualification criteria, training, monitoring, and performance evaluation; safeguarding confidentiality of client information at all times; and communicating openly with clients, consumers, and stakeholders about the meaning and integrity of the halal certification mark. HRCI sets measurable quality objectives annually (for example, audit timeliness, complaint resolution time, decision consistency, and client satisfaction), monitors performance against these objectives, and takes corrective action where targets are not met.

HRCI strives to understand and meet client and consumer expectations for reliable, credible, and internationally recognised halal certification, while maintaining strict independence from client influence over certification outcomes.

HRCI invests in ongoing training and calibration of auditors, halal supervisors, technical experts, and decision-makers to ensure consistent application of halal standards and certification criteria across all sectors and geographies served.

Quality performance is reviewed through internal audits, management review, complaint and appeal trends, and external assessment (accreditation surveillance), and findings are used to drive systematic improvement.

This Quality Policy is communicated to all personnel, made available to clients and interested parties upon request, and displayed within HRCI's premises and official website.

Top management is ultimately accountable for this policy; every employee, auditor, and associate is responsible for applying it in their daily work.

This policy is reviewed at least annually as part of management review to ensure its continuing suitability.

This policy establishes a fair, transparent, timely, and free-of-charge process for clients, applicants, or any other party to lodge a complaint about HRCI's services or personnel, or to appeal a certification decision, and for HRCI to investigate and resolve such matters objectively.

A Complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction by any person or organisation with the activities or decisions of HRCI, or of a certified client (relating to certified status), where a response is expected. An Appeal is a request by a client or applicant for reconsideration of a certification decision made by HRCI (including refusal, suspension, withdrawal, or reduction of scope).

The handling of complaints and appeals is conducted impartially, confidentially, and without any adverse consequence to the complainant/appellant. Personnel who were involved in the original decision or subject of the complaint do not participate in its review, ensuring segregation from the original decision-making process. Both processes are publicly described and made available free of charge upon request, and their existence is communicated to clients at the time of contracting.

Step 1 — Submission: Complaints may be submitted in writing (letter, email, or online form) with sufficient detail to allow investigation. Step 2 — Acknowledgement: Acknowledged within five (5) working days of receipt. Step 3 — Investigation: Validated, investigated, and, where the complaint relates to a certified client, coordinated with the client as appropriate, while maintaining confidentiality. Step 4 — Decision & Communication: A resolution, together with reasons, is communicated to the complainant, normally within thirty (30) working days of acknowledgement. Step 5 — Closure: The complainant is informed of closure and of the availability of the appeals process if dissatisfied with the outcome.

Step 1 — Submission: Appeals must be lodged in writing within thirty (30) calendar days of notification of the certification decision, stating the grounds for appeal. Step 2 — Acknowledgement: Acknowledged within five (5) working days. Step 3 — Independent Review: Reviewed by an Appeals Panel composed of persons not involved in the original decision and not subject to undue influence from the certification/sales function, which may include external or Halal Committee members for Shariah-related appeals. Step 4 — Decision: The Appeals Panel's decision, with reasons, is issued normally within forty-five (45) calendar days of receipt of the appeal, and is final within HRCI's internal process. The original certification decision remains in effect during the appeal process unless the Appeals Panel or applicable law directs otherwise.

Where a complainant or appellant remains dissatisfied following HRCI's internal process, they may escalate the matter to the relevant accreditation body or halal authority governing HRCI's accreditation/recognition.

All complaints and appeals, along with corrective actions taken, are logged, analysed for trends, and reported to top management as part of management review, in accordance with the Records Retention Policy (HRCI-POL-05).

The Complaints & Appeals Coordinator manages intake and tracking; the Appeals Panel and Halal Committee (as relevant) make independent determinations; top management ensures adequacy of the process.

This policy governs the outsourcing of certification-related activities (such as auditing, halal inspection, technical review, or laboratory testing) by HRCI to external individuals or bodies, ensuring outsourced activities are performed with the same competence, impartiality, and confidentiality as activities performed directly.

HRCI may outsource specific activities, including on-site auditing, halal/Shariah technical review, laboratory analysis, and translation services, in circumstances such as geographic reach, specialised technical/Shariah expertise, or capacity management. Final certification decisions are never outsourced and remain exclusively with HRCI's authorised decision-makers.

Outsourced individuals and bodies are selected based on documented evaluation of competence (qualifications, experience, training), impartiality (absence of conflicts of interest with the client), and, for halal-specific activities, appropriate Shariah/halal-science credentials recognised by HRCI's Halal Committee. HRCI maintains a register of approved outsourced auditors, technical experts, and laboratories, each subject to periodic competence evaluation, witnessed audits, and performance monitoring.

A legally binding agreement is in place with each outsourced provider prior to any activity being performed, covering: confidentiality obligations; impartiality declarations; compliance with HRCI's procedures, halal standards, and applicable accreditation requirements; the scope and limits of authority delegated (explicitly excluding certification decision-making); record-keeping and reporting obligations; and HRCI's right to monitor, audit, and, where necessary, terminate the arrangement.

HRCI retains full responsibility and accountability for all outsourced activities and their outcomes. All outsourced audit reports, findings, and technical evaluations are reviewed and validated by HRCI's internal Certification/Technical function and, where Shariah matters are involved, by the Halal Committee, before any certification decision is made. HRCI does not use the same outsourced individual/body that provided consultancy to a client for certification-related activities concerning that client, consistent with the Impartiality Policy (HRCI-POL-01).

Clients are informed, upon request or as part of the audit planning process, when an outsourced auditor, technical expert, or laboratory will be used in relation to their certification.

The Certification Manager is responsible for approving and monitoring outsourced providers; the Halal Committee validates Shariah-related outsourced input; top management is accountable for overall control of outsourcing arrangements.

This policy, and the register of approved outsourced providers, is reviewed at least annually.