ISO publishes updated version

ISO has published an updated edition of the ISO 19011 auditing standard which will save money, time and resources by providing a uniform approach to multiple management system audits.

In today’s business environment, many organizations incorporate a number of management systems, such as quality, environmental, IT services and information security. As a result, these organizations want to harmonize and where possible, combine the auditing of these systems.

Compared to the first edition of the standard published in 2002 which applied only to ISO 9001 (quality) and ISO 14001 (environment), the scope of ISO 19011:2011, Guidelines for auditing management systems. has been expanded to reflect current thinking and the complexities of auditing multiple management system standards (MSS). This latest version is now available at the SLSI (Sri Lanka Standards Institution) which is the only member body of ISO in Sri Lanka.

It will help user organizations to optimize and facilitate the integration of their management systems and, in facilitating a single audit of its systems, will streamline the audit processes, reduce duplication of effort and decrease disruption of work units being audited.

Specific attention is given to the implementation of the audit programme. By fully applying these guidelines, the prerequisites are provided to make auditing a crucial tool for top management to achieve the objectives of the organization.

ISO 19011:2011 provides guidance on the conduct of internal or external management system audits, as well as on the management of audit programmes. Intended users of this International Standard include auditors, audit team leaders, audit programme managers, organizations implementing management systems and organizations needing to conduct audits of management systems for contractual or regulatory reasons.