Third Party Audit

Third party audit: Is, example, iso 9001, objectives, Purpose. It is most common for audits to examine financial statements. As part of a financial audit, organizations’ financial statements are reviewed and evaluated to ensure that they accurately reflect the transactions they are claiming to represent.

Third party audit: Is, example, iso 9001, objectives, Purpose
Third party audit: Is, example, iso 9001, objectives, Purpose

Internal audits are frequently performed by company employees, but external audits are often performed by a firm of Certified Public Accountants (CPAs).

What a third-party audit does, why it’s so essential, and how it compliments your quality management system will be discussed in this post. In this article, we will discuss what you can expect from a third-party audit, what to avoid, and what it can accomplish for your organization.

In relation to third-party audits, external organizations (third parties) conduct audits of organizations without having direct contact with the auditee (organization being audited).


According to ISO 19011:2018’s Note 2 to the definition of “audit,” “Third-party audits are conducted by independent auditing organizations, such as certification / registration bodies or governmental bodies.”

Third-party audits are most commonly conducted when a company decides to construct an Environmental Management System (EMS), which complies with a set of standards, such as ISO 14001. An independent Certification Body is then engaged to conduct an audit to ensure the company complies with the standards.

What third party audit is?

A third-party auditor conducts a non-proprietary, independent audit of a company’s management system to determine if it complies with the standards of that specific standard. In the event the audit is successful, the audited company is granted certification or registration of conformance with the standard.

Third parties are usually the ones conducting this type of audit. They are independent of the company. A company’s customers are assured by an independent auditor through the audit of the company.

  • Third-party audits are carried out by a company that has no affiliation with the supplier-customer relationship.
  • Conflicts of interest are not present.

Example 

Typical names of third-party audit:

Certification Audit

  • Initial audit
  • Surveillance audit
  • Recertification audit

Accreditation Assesments

  • Pre-acquisition audit
  • Due-diligence audit
  • Statutory, regulatory and similar audit

Iso 9001

Despite the fact that who conducts the audit is different from your internal audits, the external audit process will work exactly like your internal audits. Certification can only be obtained if ISO 9001 compliance is demonstrated outside the company by an auditor.


An ISO 9001 registrar (also known as a Certification Body or CB) appoints an auditor (or auditor team) to your organization once the auditor approves the ISO 9001 certification.

Third-party audits are conducted when an organization builds a quality management system (QMS) that meets a predetermined set of requirements, for instance ISO 9001, and hires an independent company to audit the organization to ensure that it is complying with these requirements.

Objectives

A third-party audit is an objective, independent assessment intended to determine how closely a management system conforms to certain audit standards.

As far as third-party audits are concerned, those assessing compliance with International Standards (ISO) are the most common. During the audit, the Certification Body issued the “Certification Certificate,” because once the conformance has been validated, the Certificate is issued by the Certification Body.

Third-party auditors adhere to strict rules to ensure objectivity by providing top management with unbiased and transparent information. The world over, third-party audits are regarded as more trustworthy than self-certification.

Third-party audit companies have a large client base and extensive experience. As a result, they have the ability to conduct compliance audits in almost any environment. Audits are intrinsically unique to each organization, but they also share some characteristics. There are a number of best practices that may be shared among a group of customers, all of which serve to strengthen each audit program individually.

An objective assessment of the level of compliance can be obtained by certifying the third-party auditors’ work. This not only frees up time for top management, but it also serves as a gatekeeper for a variety of potential issues, minimising business risk.

Purpose

The purpose of this section will be to examine what an independent third-party audit is.

An audit by a third party is designed to provide assurance, ensuring that a standard has been met.

The purpose of third-party audits is to ensure that a company’s QMS (Quality Management System) complies with a set of specifications (for instance, ISO 9001).

In most cases, companies receive certification after successfully passing an audit by a certification body.

A third-party auditor’s job is to assess critically and impartially the quality management system and processes to determine if the standard(s) have been met (or not).

Such a method of systematic inspection ensures that the integrity of an established set of standards is preserved.

Third-party audits are performed regularly by third parties to ensure that standards are being maintained and that the QMS is meeting the requirements of the chosen standard.

It is essential that the third-party auditor is completely independent to conduct objective inspections, analyses, and decision-making. Further, an audit of this type should be relying on the expertise of an external auditor by its very nature.

Role of third-party audit

Third-party audits are carried out in order for unbiased reviews to be conducted on the manufacturing processes of businesses, including their physical facilities and policies.

Third-party audits are performed when an organization hires an independent firm to verify that its quality management system (QMS) complies with a set of requirements, such as ISO 9001, and that it has been successful.

Certifying bodies and registrars are independent companies that perform audits to verify whether a QMS still meets the requirements of the chosen standard on a continual basis. This is to ensure that it is continuously in compliance with those standards.

After they have approved a company, they issue certification to that business. The QMS can be used as evidence for clients that the company’s QMS complies with the chosen standard’s standards.

In order to conduct company safety program investigations, assessments, and analyses, it is best to use a third-party auditor. The third-party has fresh eyes and a different perspective. Safety audits can significantly reduce accident and injury rates when well-planned and executed. Audits that are well organized and carefully followed are looked upon favorably.

A third-party audit company can offer the advantage of having conducted audits in a variety of settings and can share best practices that can be helpful in improving a program. Third-party providers hold industry knowledge that can be used to validate existing programs and make recommendations for growth and change when needed.

In addition to providing unbiased expert opinions, third parties are able to provide a completely unbiased examination of your systems and processes without being subjected to the routines and routines of your staff.

Due to its objective perspective, the results of a third-party audit provide a more realistic picture of what is going on in a company’s surrounding environment in terms of safety.

A company’s internal audits can be labor-intensive and time-consuming, contributing to business disruption, however, a third-party auditor can enter a facility solely for the purpose of auditing and complete the audit and interviews efficiently without disrupting the company’s operation.

Guide in conducting an audit

It is necessary for the audit team to have a plan to examine the Third-Party Risk Management program for effectiveness. The audit team’s objectivity must be protected. Due to the fact that it is the third line of defense, it cannot be negatively impacted by the first and second lines of defense.

In the audit, it should check whether the company has a comprehensive inventory of third parties, while also reviewing the TPRM to ensure the right partners are selected. Risks from third parties to compliance, finances, operations, strategy, and reputation must all be considered in the organization’s risk assessment.

Further down the supply chain, how much involvement should third parties have? Does their presence affect the business’s ability to compete in the market? Considering these things when conducting an audit is important. A mechanism for measuring the performance of third-party providers within the risk tolerance should be in place.


A company must determine how they will obtain compensation from third parties if a problem arises.

During the audit, the auditors should evaluate whether the third-party partners follow the law, ethical standards, and technical specifications regarding data protection on a regular basis. No matter how many external contractors they are, any disregard they create would reflect negatively on the organization.

Takeaways

First Party Audit

Internal audits are essential.

Second Party Audit

  • If you wish to audit suppliers or subcontractors. 
  • You might be audited by your customer.

Third Party Audit

Parties who are totally independent of your business. Basically, they are just there to make sure you are meeting certain criteria.

Read also; Restaurant Policies; CEO Meaning; What is ethics

External resource: Advisera

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