As consultants, we are frequently asked to conduct a variety of third-party audits ranging in scope from corporate management systems to process safety management compliance and an incredible diversity of topics in between. A question that we are frequently asked is: Why should we invest time and financial resources into third party auditing? Some typical follow up client statements to that question are:
Clearly, some of these positions are understandable while others are difficult to defend. Experienced auditors have likely heard some variation of these and more when asked about third-party audits. To address these concerns and maximize the impact of limited budgets, organizations should consider a flexible, hybrid approach to utilizing third party auditors.
This approach can take a couple of forms:
Utilizing a mixed audit team is the most attractive and economical option for most organizations but the lead auditor should be from a third-party organization and retain the final authority to determine what will be reported as a finding or “non-conformance”.
Third party auditors have the benefit of a diverse client base and the advantage of conducting compliance audits in diverse occupational work environments across a range of industries. While audits are inherently unique to each site or operation, there are a series of best practices that can be shared among the group of clients, which only serves to strengthen each individual audit program. This industry-wide knowledge held by the third-party auditor can help validate existing programs and provide recommendations for growth or change when necessary.
Due to its objective position, the results of a third-party audit often provide a more accurate view of what is occurring within an auditee’s organization. While initial third-party audits often show unexpected findings or non-conformances, many auditees realize that these results are uncovering long-standing issues of non-compliance and opportunities for loss control that can be quickly corrected, thereby leading to a positive ROI for the audit program. It’s amazing how often a client’s management tells us that they been conducting internal audits for years with only a minimal number of low to moderate severity findings and how shocked they are by the results of a truly independent audit. We often tell a new client considering third party audits; just let us audit one of your sites and you will see the clear benefits.
Please reach out to us at info@ifogroup.com or call us at +1-832-403-2135 to learn more about our third-party auditing services.
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