Internal Audits without Senior Management Endorsement

Dear All,

I am in amaze! Would one ever make a consideration of doing an audit before a management system is officially endorsed or launched by the top management? Does the absence of top management endorsement result to a non conformance for the MR.

Kindly advice.

Agwanda

Internal audits are to be conducted at every opportunity. In fact, you probably already do if you are in a supervisory or management role. It is always good to validate, verify and find opportunities for improvement. This, precisely, is what auditing is for and it pertains to everything, every situation, every engagement, every industry, everywhere.



By all means conduct an audit before a management system is officially endorsed or launched by the top management. If you do not, that is a non-conformity already even if any standards indicates that it is not.

Dear All,

I am in amaze! Would one ever make a consideration of doing an audit before a management system is officially endorsed or launched by the top management? Does the absence of top management endorsement result to a non conformance for the MR.

Kindly advice.

Agwanda

Not necessarily. To get a pretty clear picture if it is nonconformance or not, the auditor have to check if top management had done their job, are committed, provide resources, and carry out all the necessary part of their duties by finding evidence that they had done so throughout the duration and stages of the audit.

Dear All,

I am in amaze! Would one ever make a consideration of doing an audit before a management system is officially endorsed or launched by the top management? Does the absence of top management endorsement result to a non conformance for the MR.

Kindly advice.

Agwanda

Totally agreeing with the replies of other members. Just to add some comments:

Although not necessary, it would, definitely, be beneficial for getting official endorsement/approval of top management in any shape before doing an official audit. Benefits includes getting moral support in conducting effective audits and doing effective reporting and getting official support in implementing corrective actions more effectively.

Internal audit is one of the most important verification activities. IMO it should closely and seriously be monitored and managed by top management of every organization and official endorsement of audit plans and audit reports are some of the evidences which shows that top management is committed to establish, maintain and continually improve the organization.

Regards:
M.Zeeshan

The management system should be at the core of the overall company strategy, if it’s just an add-on then it’s doomed to failure. Furthermore senior management commitment is a fundamental requirement of any management system, demonstrated by setting policies and objectives and ensuring they are cascaded and realized throughout the organization. If they cannot be bothered nor have the gumption to articulate the plan (the why, what and how) to the workforce then it’s unlikely the management system will function effectively or efficiently.

Regards,
Simon

Dear All,

I am rather confused by the original post.

I deduce this refers to a manufacturing situation where finished product is being commercialised.

Surely this implies that "Peak Management" has already approved the system even if not explicitly. We all know where the buck, auditor-wise, ultimately stops. ?? Job-wise is a different question

Rgds / Charles.C

agwanda,

I would ask about the location of the Safety Team Leader in your company’s organizational chart?