Complaints & Appeals Procedure
How stakeholders can raise complaints and appeals against decisions, services or conduct — a regulatory requirement for inspection and certification bodies (ISO/IEC 17020 / 17021 / 17065).
Scope
This procedure covers complaints about the conduct, outputs or decisions of the Institute, and formal appeals against inspection or certification decisions.
How to submit
Complaints and appeals can be submitted through:
- Dedicated form at contact.html (select "Complaints & Appeals")
- Email to complaints@kstinstitute.com
- Registered letter to the Institute's headquarters
Required information
- Your name and contact details (anonymous submissions are accepted but limit the ability to respond)
- Description of the complaint or appeal
- Relevant references (mandate, decision, certificate, inspection report)
- Any supporting documentation
Handling process
- Acknowledgement. Within 5 business days.
- Assessment. Independent review by personnel not involved in the original decision.
- Decision. Substantive response typically within 30 calendar days; complex matters within 60.
- Appeal escalation. Unresolved matters escalate to the Complaints & Appeals Panel, which reports to the Ethics & Integrity Committee.
Confidentiality and non-retaliation
Complaints and appeals are handled with confidentiality. Retaliation against complainants and appellants is prohibited.
External recourse
Where the complaint relates to accredited activities and is not resolved internally, the complainant may refer the matter to the relevant accreditation body. Data-protection matters may be referred to the Kosovo Information and Privacy Agency or the competent EU supervisory authority.
Questions about this policy?
For questions related to this policy, contact the Institute directly or email the compliance team.