Element · 01
Supplier Audits
On-site quality system, process and product audits at suppliers and contract manufacturers.
Specialist PracticeISO 19011
External Quality Audits
Independent supplier and third-party audits by certified lead auditors — with defensible reports and closed-loop findings you can share with customers, regulators and boards.
Overview
What are external quality audits?
Second-party audits assess your suppliers and contract manufacturers; third-party audits assess your own organisation on behalf of a customer or independent stakeholder. Both are conducted per ISO 19011 by lead auditors independent of the audited party.
We plan the audit against your criteria, run opening and closing meetings, gather objective evidence, classify findings and issue a defensible report. Where required, we verify corrective actions to closure so findings actually drive improvement — not just paperwork.
What’s included
Scope you can rely on.
Element · 02
Customer-Requested Audits
Third-party audits performed on your organisation on behalf of a customer or stakeholder.
Element · 03
Pre-Certification Audits
Independent mock audits against ISO 9001, API Q1/Q2, AS9100 or IATF 16949 before your certification body arrives.
Element · 04
Process & Product Audits
Layered process audits and product audits verifying conformance at the point of manufacture.
Element · 05
Findings & CAPA
Classified findings (major, minor, opportunity), root-cause guidance and independent CAPA verification.
Element · 06
Audit Programme Design
Multi-year supplier audit programmes with risk-based scheduling and dashboarded reporting.
Audit process
ISO 19011 — from plan to verified closure.
Every audit follows the same discipline: agreed criteria, objective evidence, classified findings and verified corrective action.
- STEP 01Plan
Agree scope, criteria and audit plan; nominate independent lead auditor and technical experts.
- STEP 02Conduct
Opening meeting, evidence-based fieldwork, daily briefings and closing meeting.
- STEP 03Report
Classified findings with objective evidence and a defensible written audit report.
- STEP 04Verify closure
Review CAPA responses, verify effectiveness and issue closure statement.
Business outcomes
Where the value lands.
- Objective, defensible evidence of supplier and internal performance.
- Reduced supply-chain risk before it becomes a field failure.
- Certification-body audits with zero surprises.
- A living audit programme — not a one-time compliance box.
What you receive
Deliverables
- 01Audit plan and criteria checklist
- 02Opening and closing meeting minutes
- 03Written audit report with classified findings
- 04CAPA response and verification log
- 05Audit closure statement
- 06Multi-audit programme dashboard (optional)
Aligned to
ISO 19011ISO 17021ISO 9001API Q1 / Q2AS9100IATF 16949
FAQ
Common questions.
Delivered across North America, with India and the UAE coming soon.
What is the difference between second-party and third-party audits?
A second-party audit is performed on your suppliers by you (or an agent acting for you). A third-party audit is performed by an independent body — either a certification body granting a certificate, or an independent firm reporting on your behalf to a customer or regulator.
Are your lead auditors qualified?
Yes. Our lead auditors hold IRCA, Exemplar Global or equivalent registration against the standards audited (ISO 9001, API Q1/Q2, AS9100, IATF 16949, ISO 14001, ISO 45001) and meet the ISO 19011 competency criteria for third-party audit teams.
Do you audit against sector-specific standards?
Yes — including API Q1 and Q2 (oil & gas), AS9100 (aerospace), IATF 16949 (automotive), ISO 13485 (medical devices), ISO 14001, ISO 45001 and ISO 27001.
Can you run a full supplier audit programme, not just a one-off?
Yes. We design and operate multi-year, risk-based supplier audit programmes with tiered supplier segmentation, standard checklists, dashboards and CAPA verification.
Which regions do you audit in?
We audit across North America from our Mississauga (Ontario) and Austin (Texas) offices, with additional coverage in India and the UAE coming soon.
Get in touch
Request an AuditNeed an independent audit on a supplier or site?
Send us the scope and criteria — we'll assemble the lead auditor and technical team within one business day.