Audits performed by an accredited Registrar are either the final step to initial certification, or the continuation of certification. These are called External Audits.
The external auditor evaluates the activities of the organization against the standard and the business requirements, as defined for the scope of certification. Whether your organization is a manufacturer or a service provider, the relationship between the external auditor and the auditee is essential to providing proper evaluation.
To assist with the support of audits, the Radian consultant will be available—onsite or onscreen—to provide support to the organization during the external audits. The external auditor generally accepts the presence of the consultant, but makes it very clear that the audit is with the organization and not with the consultant. The consultant is there only to support the client, and can freely talk and work with the client during the audit, but will not respond directly to the external auditor unless specifically asked to do so.
Benefits
- Clients are more confident when responding to the external auditor.
- In new certifications, clients may be anxious or the ISO management system is too new for the client to be fully versed in its terminology. The Radian consultant can assist with “interpreting” the external auditor’s questions.