About and recognition

The Muslim Judicial Council Halaal Trust may only issue certificates if all Halal requirements have been fulfilled following the audit (initial/re-assessment). In case of non-conformity, the auditors will document the shortcomings in a non-conformity report which will be issued to the client who should implement corrective action as advised by the auditor.

All non-conformities must be eliminated or complied with, in the stipulated time of the Corrective Action Request (CAR) Form or by the Auditor.

If necessary, the MJCHT will repeat the audit in full or in part. The resulting costs will be invoiced in accordance with the current price list, based on the effort required.

Non-conformity may result in the cancellation, suspension or withdrawal of the certification. Thereafter, the client may not use the certificate as a trade mark.

The client shall never use the certification and trademark in such a way that it undermines the reputation of MJCHT.

The policies and procedures under which the Muslim Judicial Council Halaal Trust operates and administers its business is non-discriminatory.

The MJCHT’s halal certification services are accessible to all applicants whose activities fall within the scope of the operation. All applications shall be treated fairly and without prejudice or discrimination due to its size, type of business, financial position, or political background.

MJCHT may decline to accept an application or maintain a contract for certification from a client when fundamental or demonstrated reasons exist, such as the client participating in illegal activities, having a history of repeated non-compliance with certification/product requirements, or similar client-related issues.

The Management of the Muslim Judicial Council Halaal Trust (MJCHT ) is committed to implement, maintain and continue with the required independence, impartiality , non-discriminatory and integrity requirements according to the operation of conformity assessment standards (ISO/IEC 17065:2012) for products and certification services globally.

The MJCHT’s conformity assessment services shall consistently conduct all its operations in a competent and impartial manner to give confidence to all interested parties in regard to its certification activities.

Hence, MJCHT and its staff acknowledge to treat impartiality – in addition to a strict conformity assessment and competence performance – as an essential requirement. This serves to ensure that the MJCHT ’s halal certification services and its associated halal mark is accepted with the maximum level of credibility and confidence among the interested parties, especially the consumers at both domestic and international level.

In order to achieve, maintain and enhance the said level of confidence in practice, the decisions taken by MJCHT shall be free of bias and assures objectivity in its conformity assessment, decisions making processes and all its supporting operations. Hence it shall not be affected or influenced or corrupted by any threats to impartiality including, but not limited to:

Integrity – threats arising from the lack of ethics and halal code of conduct;

Competence – threats that arise from lack of competency;

Self-interest – threats that arise from persons acting in their personal interests for self-benefit;

Subjectivity – threats that arise when bias or subjectivity overrules objective evidence;

Familiarity – threats that arise from a relationship that clouds objectivity;

Intimidation – threats arising from internal or external intimidations;

Financial – threats arising from revenue sources;

Discrimination – threats arising from any discriminatory behaviours;

Risk approach – threats arising from neglecting a continuous risk assessment and failure to implement related preventive and corrective actions.

MJCHT is committed to managing procedures to prevent conflicts of interest, as well as to guaranteeing objective results and non-discrimination, according to the following measures:

to engage skilled and qualified staff, and to ensure continuous training is carried out effectively in order to perform all main and supporting processes and operations of MJCHT in a consistent and appropriate manner;

to perform a continuous risk analysis on threats to impartiality in regard to internal and external influencing factors, operations and interactions;

to be monitored by an independent panel to supervise MJCHT ’s related operations;

not to render consultancy services and/or internal audit services to companies certified by MJCHT or interested in halal certification, MJCHT does not: advise or consult with its clients on how to address non-conformities;

suggest that an issue of a certificate would be simpler, easier or less expensive if a specified consultancy organization were used;

provide specific advice or specific training in order to develop and implement a management system or an operational procedure to its clients.

not to limit in any way, companies that intend to gain access to MJCHT certification services.

ensuring appropriate application of the requirements and principles defined in ISO IEC 17065 .

The Muslim Judicial Council Halaal Trust (MJCHT) shall endeavor to ensure that its employees and contractors maintain secrecy concerning all confidential information with which they become acquainted as a result of their agreement with the client.

The client shall maintain the confidentiality of all commercial terms and conditions with the MJCHT for certification services.

Information about a particular client or individual shall not be disclosed to any third party without the written consent of the client or individual concerned.

Where the MJCHT is required by law to release confidential information to a third party, the client or individual concerned shall, unless regulated by law, be notified in advance of the information provided.

When confidential information is made available to other bodies, (e.g. accreditation body, stakeholders or an assessment scheme,) confidentiality of information viewed will be assured during access by these bodies.