An audit programme for the full certification cycle shall be developed to clearly identify the audit activity/activities required to demonstrate that the client’s management system fulfils the requirements for certification to the selected standard(s) or other normative document(s). The audit programme for the certification cycle shall cover the complete management system requirements.
When the audit programme should be prepared by the CAB?
September 2024
– For the first certification cycle, the audit programme shall be prepared by the CAB before the stage 1 audit (refer to 9.1.3.2). This programme shall be revised for completion after the initial certification decision is taken, and actual programming can be realized, based on the output of the initial certification activities.
– For the subsequent certification cycles, the audit programme shall be developed for the full certification cycle, which implies that the audit programme shall be developed after the recertification decision, as the new cycle begins after the recertification decision.
In both cases, the audit programme can, of course, be a first version, subject to revision, as stipulated in Note 2 of 9.1.3.2.