Certificates
Company-Level Versus Material-Level Certificates
Traceable supports two scopes of certificate:
| Scope | What it covers | Where to manage |
|---|---|---|
| Company certificate | Your business broadly — quality management systems, environmental systems, conflict minerals policy, general regulatory registrations | Certificates in the sidebar (this page) |
| Material certificate | A specific material in your library — e.g., a REACH compliance certificate for a particular cathode active material | Materials → select material → Certificates tab. See Certificates for Materials |
This page covers company-level certificates.
How to Upload a Company Certificate
- Navigate to Certificates in the left sidebar
- Click Upload Certificate
- Complete all required fields (see below)
- Click Save
By default, a newly uploaded certificate is private to you. You control who sees it through a per-customer share scope: for each certificate, you choose which of your customers (the companies that have added you to their supplier network) can view it. To change this, open the certificate's Share dialog and select or deselect individual customers. Sharing is per customer and reversible, and the certificate itself is never duplicated. See Evidence Vault for the full share workflow.
Certificate Fields
| Field | Required | Guidance |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate type | Yes | Select from the list or enter a custom type. See common types below |
| Issuing body | Yes | The organisation that issued or awarded the certification (e.g., BSI, DNV, Bureau Veritas, SGS, TÜV Rheinland, LRQA) |
| Certificate number | Yes | The unique identifier on the certificate document — used by customers and verifiers to cross-reference the original |
| Issue date | Yes | When the certificate was issued or last renewed |
| Expiry date | Yes | When the certificate expires. If it has no expiry date, enter a date far in the future and note "No fixed expiry" in the Applicable scope field |
| Applicable scope | No | A description of what operations, sites, products, or processes are covered by this certificate. Particularly important for ISO certifications that cover specific sites or processes only |
| Certificate PDF | Yes | Upload the official certificate document |
Certificate Types Commonly Requested by Battery Manufacturers
The following certificate types are the most frequently requested in the battery supply chain. Upload these proactively if you hold them — having them in Traceable before a data request arrives significantly speeds up your response time.
Quality and Environmental Management Systems
| Certificate | Description |
|---|---|
| ISO 9001 | Quality management system. Demonstrates your processes meet international quality standards |
| ISO 14001 | Environmental management system. Demonstrates your processes meet international environmental standards |
| IATF 16949 | Automotive sector quality management. Required by most automotive battery manufacturers for Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers |
Regulatory Compliance
| Certificate | Description |
|---|---|
| REACH registration | Confirms registration of chemical substances with the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) under Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006. Required for chemical substances manufactured or imported into the EU above 1 tonne per year |
| RoHS compliance | Restriction of Hazardous Substances in electrical and electronic equipment. Relevant for components used in battery management systems and electronic assemblies |
Conflict Minerals and Responsible Sourcing
| Certificate | Description |
|---|---|
| RMAP / RMI audit | Responsible Minerals Assurance Process (formerly CFSP). Third-party audit confirming responsible sourcing of cobalt, natural graphite, lithium, nickel, and other battery-relevant minerals from the Responsible Minerals Initiative |
| Conflict-free smelter/refiner | Documentation showing that smelters or refiners in your supply chain are RMAP-conformant |
Transport and Safety
| Certificate | Description |
|---|---|
| UN 38.3 | Transport testing standard for lithium batteries. Confirms battery cells and packs have passed the UN Manual of Tests and Criteria, Section 38.3 requirements for air, sea, and road transport |
Setting Expiry Reminders
Traceable sends automated email reminders before a certificate expires. Default reminders are set at:
- 60 days before expiry
- 30 days before expiry
To adjust your notification preferences or add additional reminder intervals:
- Click your account name or avatar in the top right
- Select Notification Settings
- Under Certificate Expiry Reminders, adjust the timing and delivery settings
Reminders apply to both company-level and material-level certificates.
Renewing a Certificate
When you receive a renewed or re-issued certificate:
- Navigate to Certificates in the sidebar
- Click Upload Certificate and enter the new certificate's details
- On the old certificate entry, click the three-dot menu → Mark as Superseded
- In the supersession dialog, link it to the new certificate you just uploaded
The old certificate is retained for audit trail purposes but is clearly marked as superseded. Customers viewing your certificates will see the current, valid certificate by default.
Do not delete old certificates. Historical certificate records support supply chain audit trails and may be required in regulatory investigations or DPP audits relating to products that were manufactured during the old certificate's validity period.
How Customers See Your Certificates
A customer can see one of your company-level certificates only when you have shared it with them through its per-customer share scope. Customers you have not shared a certificate with cannot see it, and no customer can see certificates you share only with a different customer.
When a customer sends you a data request, they may specifically request that you confirm one or more of your certificates. In your response, you can reference certificates already in your Traceable library rather than re-uploading them, which keeps your response clean and consistent.