Conducting an audit follow-up
Typically, audit reports provide conclusions that can suggest actions based on the audit’s objectives. Clause 6.7 of ISO 19011 (ISO 19011 is the standard that provides guidelines on determining audit objectives for an audit) includes identifying areas for improvement, evaluating conformance, evaluating capability, and evaluating effectiveness. Although a follow-up may seem a natural next step, it is not always the case.
If there is a third-party certification audit and the report indicates an action is required, it would be necessary to verify such activity before providing certification. If you perform an audit of a second-party provider, the customer will expect any NCs to be resolved. The same holds true for an internal audit; management will anticipate that the audit conclusions will be addressed. The audit program manager may sometimes believe that the audit process concludes with the audit report.
Depending on the audit’s goals...
