The implemented quality management system in the organization requires maintenance and improvement in the organization, and audit is one of the tools supporting the assessment.
Guidelines for auditing various management systems are defined in ISO 19011:2018.
This standard contains guidelines and not requirements, therefore no certificates are issued for compliance with this standard. The standard provide guidelines for conducting internal audits of the management system as well as for assessing the competences of persons involved in the auditing process.
A standardized and harmonized approach in the standard enables effective auditing of different systems at the same time. It also aims to ensure consistency, credibility, and value in auditing practices across various organizational contexts.
An unquestionable feature is the universality of these guidelines, which can apply to all organizations, regardless of the industry, implemented systems or their size.
The last third edition of the ISO 19011 standard was preceded by an update of the basic requirements of the management system norm among others ISO 9001 or ISO 14001. The standards were based on the Annex SL structure, which means standardization of the standard structure and a risk-based approach.
ISO 19011:2018 – what has been changed in the new edition?
The risk-based approach was introduced and emphasized, including the guidelines for the management of the audit program have been updated and extended to the risks associated with the audit program. The existing auditing rules were updated and a new one added.
Requirements on the needs of interested parties were included, and statutory and regulatory requirements were taken into account. Guidelines related to the audit itself were detailed in the scope of audit planning. The competences of auditors, audit teams and persons managing the audit program have been expanded – see graph below.
Do you want to learn more? We invite you for training in discussing the guidelines of the ISO 19011 standard.
