Verification Terms

1. About these Verification Terms

These Verification Terms explain what verification by CAQA Certified confirms, what it does not confirm, and how the public register of certified organisations should be read and used. CAQA Certified is part of CAQA Groups and a Career Calling International Pty Ltd (ABN 53 162 651 238) initiative. This website serves two audiences: Australian businesses and organisations that apply for one or more of our twelve certification marks, and the shoppers, customers, procurement teams and members of the public who want to check that a mark displayed by a business is genuine and current.

2. What verification confirms

Verification is an evidence-based assessment of a specific legal entity against the published criteria for a specific certification mark, carried out by our compliance team at a point in time. When we certify an organisation, verification confirms that:

• the entity exists, carries on business in Australia and holds a current Australian Business Number, checked against the Australian Business Register and, for companies, ASIC records;
• the evidence supplied by the entity satisfied the published criteria for each mark held at the time of assessment;
• the entity holds a current licence to display the relevant mark or marks, recorded against a unique certificate ID; and
• the certification is subject to annual re-verification, so a Current status on the register means the entity’s most recent scheduled review was satisfied.

3. What verification does not confirm

Verification is deliberately narrow, and it is important that visitors do not read more into a mark than it claims. Verification by CAQA Certified does not confirm:

• anything beyond the published criteria for the specific mark - for example, the Women-Led Business mark speaks to ownership and leadership, not to product quality;
• the quality, safety, value or fitness for purpose of any product or service the certified organisation sells;
• compliance with laws, licences or regulatory obligations that sit outside the mark’s criteria;
• the status of related entities, parent companies, subsidiaries, franchisees or business lines that were not the entity assessed; or
• continuous compliance between reviews - assessment is point-in-time, supported by annual re-verification and the holder’s contractual duty to tell us about material changes.

CAQA Certified is an independent program. A CAQA Certified mark is not a government endorsement, licence or accreditation, and it does not replace checks required under legislation or a procurement policy.

4. Using the public register

The register is the authoritative record of certification. Each entry shows the certificate ID, the certified organisation, the marks held and the current status (for example Current or Lapsed). A printed or digital badge is only valid while the matching register entry shows a Current status. If a badge you have seen does not match a register entry - a different entity name, a mark that is not listed or a lapsed status - please report it to us; our Misuse of Mark Policy explains how reports are handled.

5. Information collected through verification

You can search the register without creating an account. If you contact us to query an entry or to report a suspected misuse, we collect the details you provide - typically your name, contact details and the substance of your query - and handle them in line with our Privacy Policy.

6. Fees, payments and refunds

Checking a certificate on the public register is free, and no payment is taken through this website for verification searches. Certification itself is a paid program: preview launch pricing published on our home page starts at A$249 per year for a single Mark Licence, with the Certified Business and Certified Impact packages at A$799 and A$1,399 per year. Fees are invoiced by Career Calling International Pty Ltd after an application is made through our contact page; this website has no online checkout. The refund and cancellation position for application and renewal fees is set out in our Website Terms of Use, and nothing in these terms limits your rights under the Australian Consumer Law.

7. Limits of advice

Information on this website, including register entries and mark descriptions, is general information. It is not legal, financial, procurement or regulatory advice, and it should not be the only check you rely on before entering a significant transaction. If a decision matters, confirm the current position with us and seek advice suited to your circumstances.

8. Contact

Questions about these Verification Terms, a register entry or a certificate can be sent to info@caqa.com.au or raised on 1800 266 160. You can also use our contact page or write to 2/10 Lawn Court, Craigieburn, Victoria 3064.