S Y S T E M · C O M P L A I N T S A N D A P P E A L S
A credible certification scheme needs a credible dispute mechanism.
Bneutral's complaint and appeal procedures are public, independent and binding. Any party, including project developers, buyers, certification bodies and external stakeholders, may contest a Bneutral decision by following the process described on this page.
T Y P E O F C O N T E S T A T I O N
Complaint or appeal: what is the difference.
Complaint
A complaint concerns dissatisfaction with a service, a process or the conduct of Bneutral or an accredited Certification Body. Examples: missed response deadlines, inadequate communication, improper conduct during an audit. Complaints are handled internally with a response within 20 working days.
Appeal
An appeal contests a technical or administrative decision by Bneutral or a Certification Body: rejection of a project application, non-renewal of a certificate, the outcome of a verification, suspension from the accredited body register. An appeal triggers a formal review by an independent panel.
P R O C E D U R E F O R C O M P L A I N T S
How to submit a complaint.
01
Submission
The complaint must include: description of the problem, date it occurred, involved parties, supporting documentation.
02
Receipt and assignment
Bneutral issues an acknowledgement within 3 working days. The complaint is assigned to an internal officer not involved in the matter under review.
03
Investigation
The assigned officer gathers the necessary information, consulting the parties involved where appropriate. The investigation concludes within 20 working days of receipt.
04
Response
The complainant receives a written response including the investigation outcome, any corrective actions taken and, if the complaint is upheld, remedial measures. Rejected complaints include the grounds for rejection and information on the right to appeal.
P R O C E D U R E F O R A P P E A L S
How to submit an appeal.
01
Submission
The appeal must be submitted in writing within 30 days of the contested decision, including: reference to the decision, grounds for appeal and supporting technical documentation.
02
Appeals Committee
The appeal is reviewed by an independent Appeal Committee composed of members not involved in the original decision. External experts may be included based on the technical nature of the appeal.
03
Investigation
The Appeal Committee reviews all documentation, may request further information from the parties and, where necessary, convenes a hearing. The investigation concludes within 45 working days.
04
Decision
The Committee's decision is communicated in writing to all parties. It may confirm, modify or overturn the original decision. The decision is binding on Bneutral and the Certification Body involved, and is published in anonymised form in the appeals decisions register.
Third-party reporting.
External parties, including credit buyers, stakeholders, researchers and journalists, may report suspected irregularities, inconsistent monitoring data or improper conduct by a project developer or Certification Body. Reports are assessed under the same procedure as complaints. The reporter's identity is kept confidential.
Have a question before raising a formal complaint?
You can contact us informally at info@bneutralscheme.eu. In most cases, a direct clarification resolves the situation without the need for a formal procedure.