In short: answer honestly, use the badge only with its live verification link, and do not present a Self-Certified certificate as an audit. We review every submission and can withdraw a certificate that does not hold up.
About the programme
Trusted Enterprise is a certification programme run by Brydgework Consultants Private Limited (“Brydgework”, “we”). It recognises businesses that meet the Trusted Enterprise Standard, which has six pillars: legal standing, fair payment, contract integrity, data stewardship, people and workplace, and ethical conduct.
These terms apply to every business that applies for or holds a certificate (“the enterprise”) and to the person who applies on its behalf. They sit alongside our general terms and conditions and privacy policy.
What the certificate means
A Trusted Enterprise certificate (shown as “Self-Certified”) is issued on the enterprise’s own signed declaration against the Trusted Enterprise Standard. Before issue we confirm the applicant’s email address and check that the GSTIN is valid in form. After issue we review every submission and may ask for supporting information.
It is not an audit, inspection, rating or guarantee, and it must not be presented as one. The certificate, badge and verification page all say so.
Eligibility and the declaration
- The enterprise must hold an active GST registration in India.
- The applicant must be authorised to bind the enterprise, for example as a director, partner or proprietor.
- Every critical statement must be answered Yes, and the overall score must be at least 60%.
- Entering the email verification code signs the declaration that the answers are true to the best of the applicant’s knowledge.
An enterprise may hold one current Self-Certified certificate per GSTIN. A certificate is free of charge and is valid for one year from the date of issue, after which the enterprise may apply again.
Using the certificate and badge
While its certificate is current, the enterprise may:
- display the badge on its website, using the HTML we provide, so that it links to the live verification page;
- share the certificate PDF and its verification link with clients, suppliers, lenders and others;
- state that it is “a Trusted Enterprise, Self-Certified with Brydgework”.
The enterprise must not:
- alter the certificate or badge, or show the badge without the link to its verification page;
- describe a Self-Certified certificate as an audit, inspection or guarantee;
- use the certificate or badge after it has expired, been suspended or been withdrawn;
- imply that Brydgework endorses its products or services, or vouches for any particular transaction.
Review, suspension and withdrawal
We review submissions after a certificate is issued and may ask the enterprise for information or documents. We may suspend a certificate while we look into a question, and we may withdraw it if:
- any part of the declaration is untrue or misleading;
- we receive a complaint that we find to be well founded;
- the enterprise ceases to hold an active GST registration or no longer meets a critical statement;
- the certificate or badge is misused.
Suspended and withdrawn certificates are shown as such on the verification page and the badge. Anyone may report a concern about a certified enterprise through our contact page.
Verification
Each certificate has a public verification page at brydgework.com/certifications/verify. It shows the enterprise’s legal and trade names, GSTIN, city, state, industry, issue and expiry dates, its profile against the six pillars, whether our review is complete, and its current status.
Your information
We use the information given in the application to issue, verify and administer the certificate, to contact the applicant about it, and to improve the standard. The applicant’s name, email address and phone number, and the answers to individual statements, are never published.
We keep certificate records for as long as the certificate is current and for up to three years afterwards, so that past certificates can still be verified. To correct or delete your information, email us at the address on our contact page.
Limits of the certificate
A certificate records an enterprise’s declaration and our review at a point in time. It is not a guarantee of the enterprise’s performance, solvency or conduct in any particular dealing, and Brydgework is not liable for loss arising from dealings between an enterprise and anyone who relies on its certificate. Counterparties should continue to make their own checks in proportion to the dealing.
Changes to these terms
We may update the standard and these terms. Certificates already issued remain under the version in force when they were issued, which is recorded with each certificate. Material changes will be shown on the programme page.
Brydgework Consultants Private Limited, New Delhi.