On every supplier profile you will find a Certificates on File section. This article explains exactly what that section is — and what it is not.
One Exception: “Verified”
The only check Indexfox performs ourselves is shown by the green Verified shield badge with a date, for example “Verified · Oct 2026”. It means our team compared the company’s business registration number against China’s official National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System (www.gsxt.gov.cn) and confirmed that:
- the number belongs to a company that legally exists and is registered as active (存续/在业), and
- the registered company name matches the supplier’s profile.
The date shown next to the badge tells you when this check was last performed — company status can change, so a check from two years ago is weaker evidence than a recent one. You can repeat this check yourself in under a minute on www.gsxt.gov.cn (free, Chinese-language; browser translation works well).
Verified confirms legal existence only. It says nothing about production capability, product quality, financial health, or export compliance.
What “Certificates on File” Means
The documents shown there are scanned copies uploaded by the supplier themselves. Indexfox is an independent directory platform, not an auditing or certification body — we do not have the professional capability to audit, authenticate or certify documents. We display these files exactly as they were submitted:
- we cannot confirm that a certificate is genuine, current, or applicable to the company listed,
- we cannot guarantee that the factory’s actual operations comply with any standard.
Think of the section as a document display booth, not a seal of approval.
What This Means for Your Sourcing Decision
A certificate scan on a profile is a starting point for due diligence, not the end of it. Before placing an order where compliance matters — for example CE-marked goods for the EU, UL-listed components for the US, or social audits required by your retailers — verify the certificate yourself, directly with the issuing body or the supplier, and ask for:
- The certificate number and expiry date — many certificates lapse and are never renewed.
- The legal holder name on the certificate — it must exactly match the company you are contracting with (watch for certificates held by parent companies or unrelated trading entities).
- The scope of certification — a factory certified for “trading” is not certified for “manufacturing”.
- A current, verifiable original (PDF with verification link, or confirmation from the issuing body), not only a scanned image.
If a supplier cannot or will not provide verification through the channels below, treat the claim with caution.
Official Verification Channels for Common Certificates
| Certificate / Registration | What it covers | Where to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Business License (营业执照) | Legal existence of a Chinese company | National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System: www.gsxt.gov.cn — search the company name or Unified Social Credit Code; check registration status, legal representative, and business scope |
| ISO 9001 / ISO 14001 / ISO 45001 | Quality / environmental / occupational health management systems | IAF CertSearch (global database of accredited certifications) or the national accreditation body that issued it — in China: CNAS; in the US: ANAB; in the UK: UKAS |
| CE Marking | Product compliance for the EU market (self-declaration or notified-body assessment depending on product) | CE is a marking, not a single certificate. For products requiring a notified body, verify the body’s number in the EU NANDO database: webgate.ec.europa.eu/single-market-compliance-space. For radio equipment, check the RED database. Then contact the notified body to confirm the certificate |
| UL Listing (US) | Product safety certification for the US/Canada | UL Solutions Product iQ: productiq.ulprospector.com — search by company name or UL file number |
| FDA Registration | US FDA facility/product registrations (food, medical devices, cosmetics) | FDA databases: device registration & listing via AccessFDA; food facility registration via the FDA’s registration module. Note: FDA registration confirms a facility filed paperwork — it is not an FDA approval of the product |
| RoHS / REACH Test Reports | Restriction of hazardous substances (EU) | There is no central public registry. Request the full test report from an accredited laboratory (ILAC-member / CNAS-accredited), then verify the report number directly with that laboratory. Check that the report covers your exact product and model |
| BSCI Social Audit | Workplace conditions (amfori BSCI members’ supply chains) | BSCI audit reports are not public. Ask the supplier to share their amfori ID and audit report (PDF with QR code) and confirm it through the amfori platform |
| Sedex / SMETA Audit | Labor, health & safety, environment, ethics | Sedex reports are shared within the Sedex platform. Request the supplier’s Sedex membership ID (ZC/ZS number) and have them share the report via Sedex |
| FSC (Wood/Paper) | Responsible forestry sourcing | FSC Public Certificate Search: info.fsc.org — verify the supplier’s FSC license code |
| GRS / GOTS (Recycled / Organic Textiles) | Recycled content / organic textile processing | Textile Exchange certificate database: textileexchange.org (OEKO-TEX® certificates can be checked at oekotex.com) |
Links verified as of October 2026. If a link has moved, search the issuing organization’s official website directly — never rely on a link or phone number printed only on the certificate scan itself.
The Bottom Line
Indexfox gives you direct access to factories and shows you the paperwork they have chosen to file. The responsibility — and the power — to verify that paperwork before money changes hands remains with you, the buyer. A few minutes on the official registries above is the cheapest insurance in international sourcing.