VCA Europe S.r.l. Compliance Guidelines

Introduction:

VCA Europe S.r.l. has its base in Italy and aims to provide class leading type approval testing and inspection services to EU and UNECE standards. VCA Europe S.r.l. is an appointed Technical Service for most new on and off road vehicles to Sweden (e5/E5), the Netherlands (e4/E4), the UK (E11) and Luxembourg (e13/E13).

Our mission is to inspire confidence in vehicle standards through impartial testing and certification. Our vision is to be an organisation that is admired and respected for our people, their professionalism and impartiality. We will deliver automotive certification with unquestionable integrity, providing confidence to industry, regulators and governments.

As an organisation we embrace diversity and recognise the real benefits that this can bring. We are committed to providing an environment where our people can flourish and we take this attitude into our working relationships.

Quality Management:

A quality ethos is at the heart of organisation culture. VCA Europe has gained formal accreditation to ISO/IEC 17020 (ISO requirements for inspection bodies) from Italian Accreditation body, Accredia. Scope & Certificate

Our Quality Manager is responsible for ensuring that processes and procedures are in place to deliver services to the highest quality, and organisational performance is measured against stringent requirements.

VCA Europe S.r.l. Quality Policy Statement

Managing complaints:

While we aim to provide services of the very highest standards, where customers and other stakeholders have concerns, they can raise them by following our published procedure. Those raising an issue can be sure that it will be investigated rigorously and a full response will be provided within one month of the original complaint. Staff can also raise concerns if they suspect a breach of process or procedure. Further information on how to make a complaint can be found on the relevant page of our website: https://www.vehicle-certification-agency.gov.uk/complaints-and-appeals/.

Use of our logo:

The third party use of the VCA Europe logo is not permitted under any circumstances. However, it may be possible for organisations that have completed test activity with VCA Europe to reference this in written form. Organisations wishing to do this should discuss this with their usual contact to agree this.

Health and Safety and the Environment:

Health and Safety:

Our senior management fully recognises the importance of Health and Safety and is committed to both its legal and moral obligations. This is demonstrated by top level commitment to Health and Safety Policy, individual responsibilities and Staff Training. Senior management sees the development of a positive safety culture across the organisation as an essential part of its continued success.

We will, as an essential part of our business process aim to:

• Maintain compliance with any statutory national laws, regulations or directives placed upon it by external regulatory bodies. To continuously manage, develop and improve its Health and Safety related policies, strategies and processes to meet these responsibilities and to achieve industry best practice across the organisation
• Provide a safe working environment for all employees, contractors, visitors and any others who may be affected by its activities or omissions
• Conduct a regular programme of inspections and assessments to assess risk, identify and eliminate unsafe conditions/practices and to control and reduce any hazards found in the working environment
• Promptly investigate every accident, incident, occupational health issue and near miss to determine their cause and prevent re-occurrence. Make provision for adequate First Aid arrangements, welfare facilities and wellbeing at work
• Provide and maintain safe routes of access/egress as required
• Ensure that this policy statement is communicated and maintained across all levels of the organisation
• Ensure that all employees agree, as part of their contract of employment to comply with the individual duties placed upon them by law. Failure to comply with Health and Safety duties, regulations, local procedures etc. will be regarded as a serious breach and may lead to disciplinary action being taken
• Review and/or revise the Health and Safety policy and statement annually or at times of significant change

It is also the duty of all employees to:

• Exercise reasonable care for the health, safety and welfare of themselves and others who may be affected by their actions or omissions. To report any unsafe act, condition or occurrence at the earliest opportunity
• Co-operate with the Agency, as far as may be necessary, to enable the organisation to carry out its legal duties in respect of Health, Safety and Welfare matters
• Not to intentionally or recklessly interfere with any rules or equipment provided by the organisation in the interests of Health, Safety or Welfare

Sustainability:

Operating in a sustainable manner is rightly at the top of all corporate agendas. Our work underpins the crucial area such as exhaust emissions testing, ensuring that vehicles meet increasingly stringent standards. As an organisation our staff understand the need to operate in a way that minimises our environmental footprint and we will continue to do this.

Independence and Conflicts of Interest:

Ultimately the type approval process provides confidence to consumers, regulators and governments that vehicles, systems and components meet the relevant standards. As such the independence of Technical Services is paramount and is rightly dealt with in some detail within the relevant Type Approval framework directives. We comply fully with the relevant provisions of the framework, and as an organisation we are committed to discharging our duties with the very highest levels of professional integrity and impartiality. We will not enter into any arrangement that has the potential to compromise this. All staff, including senior managers are required to be free of any conflicts of interest of any kind.

Handling Information:

Information is a key asset, not just for us but for those we work with. Correct data handling is vital to the safe and effective delivery of the services we provide. We need to be confident that information assets are safely and securely stored, processed, transmitted and destroyed. Equally, VCA Europe has a legal obligation and duty to safeguard personal data entrusted to it by staff and businesses. All staff undertake mandatory training around the correct handling of information, ensuring that the highest standards are maintained.

Data Protection:

Working predominantly with the automotive industry, VCA Europe processes and holds only a small amount of personal data.

Personal data is any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural living person, otherwise known as a ‘data subject’. A data subject is someone who can be recognised, directly or indirectly, by information such as a name, an identification number, location data, an online identifier, or data relating to their physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural, or social identity. These types of identifying information are known as ‘personal data’. Data protection law applies to the processing of personal data, including its collection, use and storage.

The policy explaining how VCA Europe complies with data protection law can be found on the relevant page of our website.

Contact:

Mino A. Camilotti
Head of Operations

VCA Europe S.r.l.
Point – Polo per l’innovazione Tecnologica
Via Pasubio 5
24044 Dalmine (BG)
Italy
Tel: +39 035 008 5034

Ref: SRL-QDOC-01 Rev 04