Our Auditor Program
We consider our MS Auditors as key players for our organization.
Our global network of MS Auditors has grown by 25% in 2021 which shows that the success of our evaluation methods, transparency, impartiality, and the welcoming environment that we offer to our MS Auditors is greatly recognized.
How it works?
Requirements
*For ISO/IEC 27001 – minimum of 10 ISMS onsite audit days in at least one ISMS initial or recertification audit and at least one surveillance audit performed in the last 5 years.
Credentials
Initiate the Application Process
The initial requirements that have to be fulfilled by an applicant in order to initiate the evaluation process are listed below:
- Education: Have at least secondary level education.
- Training/Certification1: Have a valid2 Lead Auditor Certificate obtained from an internationally recognized certification body along with the Attendance Record Certificate of the respective training course.
- Work experience3: Have at least five years of professional work experience; two of which should be relevant experience in the implementation, operation, and/or auditing of management systems, involving the exercise of judgment.
- Audit experience 3: Have performed at least four complete audits, the total duration of which should be a minimum of twenty days. For Lead Auditor, at least three of these audits should have been performed as a team leader.
- Personal behavior and competence: Be able to reflect the best personal behavior necessary to carry out effective audits in accordance with clause 7.2.2 of ISO 19011:2018 and Annex D of ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015, as well as be able to demonstrate that they have the needed competence and knowledge to carry out an effective audit in line with the clause 7.2.3.2 of ISO 19011:2018.
1Each applicant also needs to have relevant audit experience in the respective standard (e.g., to be approved as MSECB Auditor for ISO 9001, an applicant needs to have an ISO 9001 Lead Auditor Certificate, as well as experience in ISO 9001 audits).
²Valid is considered the certificate which corresponds to the actual version of the respective standard.
³For Trainee MS Auditors no work and audit experience is required.
MSECB Auditor Documentation Package
If the applicant has met the initial requirements, the following forms need to be completed:
- Auditor Application Form
- Auditor Competence Form
- Audit Log Form
- Auditor Agreement Form
Audit background and experience will be evaluated based on specific certification requirements and MSECB competence criteria.
The applicant should hold a Lead Auditor Certificate in the respective field and be able to demonstrate their years of professional experience and number of audits conducted. All of the documents need to be filled out in details with the correct information in order for MSECB to have a complete file of the applicant.
Online Interview
In case of a positive evaluation and fulfillment of the previously described requirements, the applicant will be invited to an interview with the Auditor Program Coordinator.
Such interviews are held online and intend to further elaborate on the information provided in the applicant’s CV and professional experience. The interview consists of questions that include areas of planning the audit, reporting nonconformities, handling a difficult situation, previous experience, etc.
After the successful completion of the interview, the applicant will get approved as an “Interim MS Auditor”. At the same time, they will be informed in more details about the remaining steps/requirements that need to be completed in order to get the “Fully Approved MS Auditor” status.
The interim period will be valid for one year. Within this time frame, the Interim MS Auditors will need to:
- Complete the Certified Management Systems Auditor (CMSA) Training Course.
- Be witnessed (observed) while conducting an audit on behalf of MSECB.
If the additional requirements are not fulfilled within the agreed time frame, the MSECB Interim Auditor credential will be canceled and the auditor will need to complete all the requirements all over again to become Fully Approved MS Auditor and be able to conduct audits on behalf of MSECB.
Certified Management Systems Auditor Training Course (CMSA)
The Certified Management Systems Auditor Training Course (CMSA) is a specific training course which intends the preparation of MSECB Certified Auditors and in advancement of their audit techniques and skills in line with the MSECB audit processes and procedures.
This training is exclusively lectured by experienced MSECB Auditors and is organized several times during the year in different parts of the world. Additionally, during this training course role play audits will be conducted as part of the practical part of the training.
Taking the Certified Management Systems Auditor Course and passing the respective exam is mandatory, and this has to be completed within one year from the interim approval date.
The MSECB Auditor will be kept updated on the schedule of the CMSA Training Course around the world, so they will have an opportunity to finish the required step on time.
There will be two options to complete this step:
- Normal track: Attend the entire CMSA Training Course
- Coming soon – Fast track: Experienced auditors (10+ years of experience in third-party audits) will attend only the last day of the CMSA training course. This will be done online through a webinar at the end of which the auditors will have to complete the CMSA exam.
However, to be eligible for this, auditors need to provide evidences to MSECB either:
- Of being approved by another accredited certification body, or
- 3 audit reports (all information will be treated with utmost confidentiality).
Witness Audit
After being approved as an “Interim MS Auditor”, the auditor will be subject to a witness audit – being observed while conducting an audit on behalf of MSECB.
The purpose of the witness audit is to validate and gain confidence in the knowledge and skills of the auditor. The observation will be done either on-site or remotely and will be conducted by someone who is assigned by MSECB.
The MS Auditor will be Fully Approved after completing all the necessary requirements, including: Documentation and Professional Experience, the Interview, Certified Management Systems Training Course (CMSA), and the Witness Audit. Hereby, the MS auditor will be provided with one of the following credentials, depending on their experience and fulfillment of requirements:
- MSECB Certified Auditor – can perform audits as a team member or as a sole auditor.
- MSECB Certified Lead Auditor – can perform audits as a Lead Auditor by managing an audit team.
MSECB Auditor Certificate is valid for three years. In this period MS auditors will be evaluated on a continuous basis through different evaluation methods, such as: observation, review of records, feedback from audit clients, post-audit reviews, etc.
Recertification
In order to get recertified, the MSECB Certified Auditor should have performed a minimum of three complete audits with at least 10 audit days during the last three years. For MSECB Certified Lead Auditors, one of the audits should be in the capacity of a Lead Auditor – leading a team of at least one other auditor.
The recertification process can be performed within the six months period, prior/after the expiry date of the MSECB Auditor Certificate. If the recertification has not been performed within this period, the MS Auditor may be required to pass an additional observation.