Several studies that were carried out on the evolution of the certification of management systems have clearly determined that one of the critical aspects for the success of this industry, and its sustainability in the medium and long term, is the competence of the certification bodies’ auditors.
Companies and Certification Bodies require auditors to, through their personal attributes, education, skills, knowledge and experience, carry out, both for internal and external audits, in a way that combines the added value to the auditee with a rigorous evaluation of conformity to the requirements of the relevant standards, regulations or specifications.
Some years ago, IQNet Ltd decided to launch the IQNet Auditor Competence Scheme (ACS) aiming for a comprehensive response to the identified needs. ACS assisted IQNet Ltd and IQNet Partners on their efforts to consolidate and demonstrate qualification, namely for IQNet Ltd products, but a wider and differentiated approach was later identified as necessary, notably to include registration for internal auditors.