ISO Auditing
Cavendish Scott provides internal and supplier auditing services for organizations working toward ISO certification or accreditation. With more than 40 years of experience, our auditors help clients prepare for certification/accreditation audits, strengthen their management systems, and maintain conformance year after year.
How Internal Audits Support Certification and Accreditation
Process-based auditing has been part of Cavendish Scott’s services for more than 40 years. We conduct internal audits across a wide range of management system standards, helping clients build confidence ahead of their certification and accreditation audits.
Cavendish Scott performs hundreds of internal audits each year. Beyond identifying gaps, our auditors help organizations find practical solutions to the auditing challenges they encounter, whether that means clarifying a requirement, improving a process, or preparing documentation for review.
The Internal Audit Process
Cavendish Scott follows a defined audit plan, executed by experienced auditors who understand the standards inside and out.
Every audit begins with a review of documentation, cross-referenced against the applicable standard. Our auditors look for gaps, but just as importantly, they identify where a client’s processes already meet the standard. This groundwork prepares organizations for their registrar and accreditation audits and supports a smoother path to certification and accreditation. Where appropriate, our auditors also offer coaching and recommendations to help strengthen the management system along the way.
Organizations planning their annual internal audits generally choose between handling the work in-house or bringing in outside professionals. Cavendish Scott recommends the latter, for a few key reasons.
Why Work With a Professional Auditor
A Cavendish Scott auditor brings a level of objectivity and experience that is difficult to replicate internally. Advantages include:
Depth of experience across multiple standards and industries
An outside perspective, free from internal bias
Minimal disruption to daily operations
Consulting-style guidance during the audit itself
Ongoing support between audit cycles
Clear, actionable corrective action recommendations
Ongoing support between audit cycles
All Cavendish Scott auditors complete IRCA-accredited and/or Exemplar Global Certified ISO 9001 Lead Auditor courses, ensuring a consistent standard of expertise across every engagement.
The Certification Audit Process
Certification audits generally follow internal audits and are conducted in two stages. It is best to leave enough time between the internal audit and the certification audit for any corrective action, without leaving so much time that processes slip.
Certification itself is issued by an accredited certification body, not by the International Organization for Standardization, which publishes the standards but does not certify organizations against them. The ISO logo may only be used in connection with certification under specific controls. Certification is typically valid for three years, with surveillance audits conducted in the years between.
Internal and certification audits serve different purposes. Cavendish Scott’s internal audits are designed to improve the management system and build transparency and accountability across the organization. Certification audits, by contrast, assess conformance of the system against the requirements of the standard.
Standards We Audit
Cavendish Scott audits many different management system standards, each designed to support a specific organizational goal. Where an organization holds certification to multiple standards, Cavendish Scott can often perform simultaneous audits to reduce disruption.
Cavendish Scott also supports auditing needs tied to related frameworks, including Federal Aviation Administration requirements, the National Aerospace and Defense Contractors Accreditation Program, Nuclear Quality Assurance, the Capability Maturity Model Integration, and the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program, along with sector-specific requirements in areas such as petroleum, oil and gas, automotive, and software security.
One Firm for Consulting, Auditing, and Training
In addition to internal and supplier auditing, Cavendish Scott offers comprehensive ISO consulting services and accredited ISO training, delivered in-house, publicly, or fully customized to your organization. Working across all three service lines gives our auditors ongoing exposure to a wide range of clients, sectors, and standards, and it gives your organization a single, consistent partner throughout your ISO journey.
Cavendish Scott is certified by Exemplar Global and accredited by the IRCA (CQI), and holds Exemplar Global “Recognized” Training Provider status.