“Mastering ISO 19011: Tips for Effective Internal Audit Management & Compliance” 

“Learn how to effectively manage your internal audit program with ISO 19011 compliance. Explore key tips on audit planning, team selection, and corrective actions.” 

Internal audits are a key element of the quality management system of an organization. They assist in pinpointing a few weaknesses and ensuring adherence to compliance for standards like ISO 9001. But overseeing an internal audit program is not an easy task, in particular, addressing ISO 19011. Here are a few tips for managing the internal audit program to be compliant to ISO 19011. 

Develop an Audit Plan:

A practical means of managing the internal audit program is planning the audit process. The audit plan should define the extent of the audit, the audit goals, and the audit criteria. Identifying the people resources, time and equipment that are needed to perform the audit is also essential. It should be regularly reviewed, updated and maintained to keep it current with the objectives, goals and aims of the organization. 

Choose the Audit Team:

The next step is to choose the audit team. The team should comprise of personnel who have skill and knowledge in conducting the audit. According to ISO 19011, an audit team shall be objective and impartial. The auditors should not be auditing their own work and should not have any self-interest in the results of the audit. The auditors should be trained on the audit process as well as the organization’s quality management system. 

Perform the Audit:

The audit team should have a structured approach that they follow during the audit. According to ISO 19011, there are six steps to perform an audit: (1) Initiation of the audit, (2) Audit preparation, (3) Audit performance, (4) Preparation of the audit findings, (5) Reporting of the audit findings, (6) Completion of the audit. The audit team will record all their observations and findings, including non-conformities and opportunities for improvement. 

Follow Up and Corrective Action:

After the audit has been finalized, there needs to be a follow up on any non-conformities or opportunities for improvement that were revealed during the audit. According to ISO 19011, non-conformities need to have corrective action in place following the audit. There should be a documented process for corrective action that is followed throughout the organization. 

Last but not least, an internal audit program is not just a checklist but rather a continuous improvement process. ISO 19011 requires that the Internal Audit program needs to be monitored and reviewed for its fitness and adequacy. An organization should assess the effectiveness of the internal audit program and revise as necessary to ensure that the internal audits meet their goals. 

Conclusion

"Defining Audit Objectives, Scope, and Criteria"

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