Pre-audit before certification
A mock audit against the standard or the audit criteria, carried out the way an external auditor works, so that the nonconformities are found before the real audit.
Who it is for and when
Suits organisations with a certification audit, customer audit or regulatory review booked, that want to know what the auditor will find before the auditor finds it.
- The certification audit is booked and you do not know whether you will pass.
- The management system is built but has never been tested against the standard by an outsider.
- A customer has announced an audit and you want to prepare.
- You want to avoid nonconformities that lead to rework and delays.
What we do
- Criteria and scope. We establish which standard or audit criteria apply, which parts are to be reviewed and when the real audit is planned.
- Document review. Policies, risk work, control structure, internal audits and the management review are assessed against the criteria, the way an external auditor does it.
- Interviews and sampling. We interview those responsible and sample whether the routines are actually followed, because that is where nonconformities usually arise.
- Findings classified as in an audit. Each finding is classified as a nonconformity, an observation or an improvement opportunity, with a clear reference to the requirement and the evidence.
- Action plan before the audit. An action plan for every finding, scheduled against the audit date, with an owner per item.
What you get
- A completed mock audit against the standard or the audit criteria
- Findings classified as nonconformity, observation or improvement opportunity
- An action plan for every finding, scheduled against the audit date
- A walkthrough with the people who will meet the auditor
- A picture of what the auditor is likely to ask about
Scope and price
A defined engagement planned around when the external audit is booked, so that there is time to address the findings before it takes place.
The price varies from engagement to engagement and depends on the scope of the management system. You get an estimated cost proposal and, where possible, a fixed price.
How it works
- A first conversation. We listen to your situation and explain how we usually set up the work. You get our assessment straight away, free of charge.
- A proposal with scope and price. A short written proposal with what is included, what you get, who does the work and what it costs.
- Delivery and handover. We work together with your organisation, report continuously and hand over so that you can maintain the result yourselves.
Frequently asked questions
How long before the audit should the pre-audit be done?
Early enough for the findings to be addressed. How long that is depends on what is found, so we plan around your audit date and how mature the management system is.
What if you find a lot of nonconformities?
Then the pre-audit has done its job. You get them classified and scheduled against the audit date, and can decide whether to fix them and proceed or move the audit.
Does this only apply to ISO 27001?
No. The same approach works before a customer audit or a regulatory review. We assess you against the criteria that apply to that particular audit.
Would you like to know what the auditor will find?
Contact us