Internal audits can be considered as a vital management activity that ensures the consistency of the internal business processes. It helps a business to figure out the gaps in the business processes and explore the opportunities for further improvement. Internal audit plays a critical role in the continual improvement process. Even a successful certification depends on the internal process to some extent. What is this internal audit, by the way? Well, internal audit is a form of an audit that should be conducted regularly to measure the conformity of internal processes and the scopes for improvement. Through regular internal assessment, an organisation can effectively maintain the product quality and the compliance with the relevant regulations. Here, we are going to discuss six steps that the leading ISO certification consultants conduct in order to make their internal audit more efficient.
Step 1
Understand What and When to Audit
Before starting the internal audit, the consultants need to identify what processes they need to audit. A right understanding of the processes, scopes, and objectives will help the consultants develop a strategy for the audit. An ideal consultant who has experience in performing internal audit will always develop the audit strategy based on the risk management of that particular business management system. Apart from these, the consultants should understand the nature of your business and the right time when an audit should be done.
Step 2
Develop and Maintain an Audit Schedule
By developing an audit schedule, the consultants or auditors will be able to provide the departments with a prior notice of the upcoming audit program. This program will enable the auditors to examine the necessary documents and records, which are available for the assessment and the audit. The internal audit is better than a surprise audit because of this audit schedule. Since the schedule is developed in an advanced stage, there are little chances of a mess. Both the staffs and the auditors are prepared to conduct the audit in an organized way. When the internal audit is being performed for gaining ISO 27001, then most of the experienced ISO 27001 certification consultants go through the previous IT security management files to develop an effective audit plan and schedule.
Step 3
Get Prepared before the Scheduled Audit
Once the audit team announces the audit schedule, you should get ready for the coming audit. The consultants will help you in your preparation. They will provide you with gap analysis report where you can identify the loopholes so that you can fill the gaps in an advanced stage. This gap analysis would be a great help for you.
Step 4
Perform the Audit
In this step, the audit will be performed. Since the ISO certification consultants or the auditors know which areas should be investigated, the investigation process will not be a time-consuming affair.
Step 5
Track the Findings
The consultants will record their findings in the internal audit report so that you can gain a clear insight into the weak areas within your business management system.
Step 6
Report on the Findings
In this last step, the consultant will report you the findings. They will explain the findings and risks associated with the findings.
A Final Takeaway
If you want to be successful, it is important to address the needs of your customers. It is also imperative to deliver the products and services aptly without any defect. Your organisation should establish internal controls and maintain them properly to boost the quality of products and services. Moreover, an internal audit is a management tool that can help you make sure that your process meets the requirements. Henceforth, you should hire only the trusted consultants for internal audit.