1. First information
The customer lays the foundation for establishing a management system by purchasing standards and regulations, attending information Events and asking organizations that have already been certified about their experiences. During the following personal briefing with Quality Austria the needs of the client are scrutinized and the organisation is informed about the entire audit process in detail. As a first step company specific aspects for certification planning are identified. On the basis of the data collected, an estimate of the audit time required is made on the basis of international specifications.
2. Decision making
Now the reasons for establishing a system need to be aligned with the corporate business goals. This should result in a project plan: An assessment of the internal resources is just as important as the determination of external costs (if necessary for consulting, training and certification). The preparation of a schedule is also recommended. On the basis of this planning, the decision for certification can now be made.
3. Create and implement a concept
The following priorities can be intended for this phase:
- Build up know-how about the selected management system (e.g. qualityaustria training for Quality or Environmental Managers)
- Analysis of standard requirements and planning of implementation in the company
- Training of employees on the basics of management Systems (qualityaustria In-house Trainings QMB Compact) and on the changed processes and procedures
- Bringing newly designed processes to life and anchoring them in the company
4. Short audit (optional)
A short audit can help to identify the progress of implementation of the management system in the individual areas, functions, processes or specific requirements of a standard or regulation. The expediency of the determined specifications and implementation measures is to be assessed in due time in order to identify faulty interpretations of the standards and regulations and therefore preventing additional expenditure/costs. The employees' conviction and motivation will be promoted.
5. Certification Audit Stage 1
This audit is already part of the certification process and serves to assess the certification maturity of the management system. It includes the following objectives:
- Identification of key processes, objectives and relevant legal requirements
- Assessment of company-specific aspects
- Evaluation of management documentation
- Decision on readiness for the Certification Audit Stage 2
- Determination of the further procedure and audit planning for the Certification Audit Stage 2
6. Certification Audit Stage 2
In stage 2 Audit, the processes and requirements are audited on the basis of random samples. The focal points are:
- Verification of conformity to the requirement models on the basis of an audit plan defined in advance
- Presentation of the system development: Strengths and potentials of the system are listed
- Identification of opportunities for improvement
- Assessment of the suitability and appropriateness of the management system with regard to the company objectives
7. Your Certificate
Due to its accreditation, Quality Austria is entitled to issue certificates or attestations of conformity that are recognized worlwide. The rights of use are transferred with the issued certificate. The qualityaustria certificate is regarded as proof of conformity and is used for internal and external communication of the successful certification in order to ensure better opportunities on the market and in calls for tender.
8. Continuous further development and improvement of the system
In the interests of continuous improvement, the management system is to be continuously developed in line with the strategic orientation. For this purpose, a Surveillance Audit will be carried out in the two years following certification. In the third year after the initial certification, the Recertification Audit is carried out with an application to reissue existing certificates.
Customer benefit
- As part of the audit we examine whether the respective necessary requirements are fulfilled.
- We are of the opinion that customer expectations significantly influence the goals and benefits of the audit,
- that the competence of your auditor is of highest priority
- and that the performance and impact of the audited management system are of crucial importance.
As an accredited certification body, we are committed to the values of independence and objectivity. Our competence is therefore regularly checked and certified.
As a national representative of IQNet, we are also entitled to issue IQNet certificates, which are valued worldwide.
Auditor competence is of utmost importance
We stand for sound expertise and competence for management systems, with the aspiration to secure and increase the business quality of our customers.
- qualityaustria auditors have this competence and a diversified knowledge of the industry as they work as experts, managers or consultants in addition to their daily work.
- They have in-depth knowledge of the relevant standards and continuously undergo extensive professional and methodological training.
- The qualityaustria auditors' pronounced understanding of the connections between cause and effect as well as of possible consequences - intentional and unintentional - is essential.
In addition, we consider the value-oriented attitude of the auditors as a central element and strengthen this attitude with collegial embedding in the qualityaustria expert community and with an organisational environment that supports organisational and management competence.
Focus on customer expectations
qualityaustria audit design
Our audit philosophy
qualityaustria Audit categories
Focus audit
Quality Austria defines focus audits as audits with entirely specific, prescribed topics or emphases. The objective of a focus audit is not to observe all aspects or the entirety of a system in contrast to the accredited certification audit. The focus can, e.g., be on a specific product (product audit), a process (process audit), a specific topic or also on a function (procurement, sales). A focus audit can be performed as an independent audit or integrated in another audit form as a complement. This type of audit can, to a limited extent, be combined with an accredited certification audit or contract audit provided that the determined focus does not contradict accreditation rules and sufficient time is envisaged.
Audit with innovation approach
Innovation means renewal, change and marketable implementation of developments. Innovations can apply to products, processes, methods, but also to strategies and business models. The following questions are pertinent to audits with innovation approach: What impulses for renewal and change can the audit provide? What opportunities and future potential – for a product, process, methods or business models – can be identified in the audit? An audit with innovation approach is clearly different from a classic management system audit for conformity verification. Thus, topics such as variability, learning, courage, strategy, agility, culture and management are prioritized in an audit with innovation approach.
Cooperative audit
Cooperative audits are a collective term and are based on cooperation with organizations such as advocacy groups, government authorities, associations or companies (e.g. "Audit work and family", "Label for social integration enterprise", "Audit with the Association for Disposal Companies/ÖVGW Technical Association for Gas and Water"). Audit criteria and audit processes are usually developed together with cooperation partners who usually contribute industry and technical competence; Quality Austria provides expertise in audit design and performance. The cooperative design is partner-specific. A joint audit is an audit in which two or more audit organizations work together to organize an audit. This type of audit is performed when one of these organizations cannot provide all of the accreditations desired by the customer or is not represented in the customer's region. The one-face-to-thecustomer principle remains in place.
Investigative audit
Investigative audits examine, uncover and explain. Possible gaps or deficits are detected with these audits in order to improve security (for example legal certainty).
Contract audit
Quality Austria defines contract audits as audits that are performed on the basis of a contract with a regulatory agency or an association. Typical examples of contract audits can be found in the automotive industry (contractual partner VDA-QMC), food safety or railways (IRIS standard in the contract with UNIFE).
Accredited certification audit
This category incorporates those audits that have been processed within the framework of the national accreditation according to international standards (such as ISO/IEC 17021-01). These audits include initial certification and monitoring or serve as a basis for extensions (re-certification). Government authorizations such as in regard to the EMAS regulation or product-related certifications with accreditation are also part of this category
