Independent evidence, with or without a certificate
Sometimes you need evidence without a certificate. You may need to check a supplier, audit your own sites against a group standard, or find out how close you are to certification. We provide audits and assessments with agreed criteria, a defined scope and a clear written report.
- Agreed criteriaStandard, contract, regulation or your own requirements.
- Competent auditorsMatched to the standard and the sector.
- Objective findingsEvery finding backed by evidence.
- Clear reportsGraded findings and a plain conclusion.
Audit services
Third-Party Audit
An independent audit by an organization with no interest in the outcome, for customers, investors or partners who need evidence they can trust.
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Supplier Audit
On-site or remote audits of your suppliers against your criteria, a standard or both, feeding your supplier approval and risk decisions.
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Second-Party Audit
We act for you as the customer and audit your suppliers or contractors against your contractual requirements.
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Witness Audit
An independent observer attends an audit or test and reports on how it was carried out.
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Special Audit
Short-notice or targeted audits, for example after a serious complaint, an incident or a scope extension.
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Assessment services
Gap Assessment
A structured comparison of your current system with a standard, with a report listing each gap against the relevant clause.
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Compliance Assessment
An evaluation against a defined set of requirements: legal, contractual, customer-specific or scheme-based.
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Readiness Assessment
A pre-certification check that your system is implemented and producing evidence, so you can decide when to schedule Stage 1.
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Which service do you need?
| Your situation | Service |
|---|---|
| You need an independent party to audit an organization against a standard or contract | Third-Party Audit |
| You want to qualify, approve or monitor your suppliers | Supplier Audit |
| You want us to audit your suppliers on your behalf against your requirements | Second-Party Audit |
| A regulator, customer or scheme needs an audit observed by an independent witness | Witness Audit |
| An incident, complaint, scope change or short-notice need requires a targeted audit | Special Audit |
| You want to know how your system compares with a standard before certification | Gap Assessment |
| You need to confirm compliance with specific legal, contractual or customer requirements | Compliance Assessment |
| You think you are ready for certification and want an objective check first | Readiness Assessment |
How an audit or assessment works
Agree objectives, criteria, scope, sites and report format.
We appoint a competent auditor and share an audit plan in advance.
Opening meeting, interviews, observation, record sampling and closing meeting.
A written report with findings, objective evidence and conclusions.
Optional verification of corrective actions or periodic re-audits.
What you receive
Audit plan
Shared before the visit, so everyone is prepared.
Closing meeting
A summary of findings on the day.
Written report
Scope, criteria, graded findings, evidence and conclusion.
Consistent scoring
A common format across suppliers, if required.
Where assessment ends and consultancy begins
We do
To keep our findings objective, our role is to assess and report.
- Identify gaps against stated requirements
- Explain what a requirement means in general terms
- Report findings with objective evidence
- Agree scope, criteria and reporting in advance
We do not
Correcting findings is your responsibility, which keeps our assessment impartial.
- Write your policies, procedures or manuals
- Design solutions specific to your organization
- Implement or manage your system
- Promise any certification result
Frequently asked questions
What is a third-party audit?
An audit carried out by an independent organization that has no interest in the result, unlike internal (first-party) or customer (second-party) audits.
What is the difference between a gap assessment and a readiness assessment?
A gap assessment shows how far you are from a standard, usually early on. A readiness assessment checks whether an implemented system is ready for the certification audit.
Does a gap assessment lead to certification?
No. It is a separate service with its own report. Certification needs its own application, audits and independent decision, and a gap assessment gives no advantage in that decision.
Will you fix the problems you find?
No. We report findings with evidence. Correcting them is your responsibility, which keeps our assessment objective.
Can you audit suppliers in other countries?
Yes, on site or remotely, subject to auditor availability in the region.