The internal audit is a management tool to identify opportunities and risks and to signal improvements. Performing internal audits has a number of functions: the main one is that you can determine whether the objectives for the management system are achieved and whether agreements and policy are therefore complied with. You can test whether the management system meets its own imposed requirements. And compliance with external (imposed) requirements, such as in norms and standards. Another important goal of the internal audit is to find out whether activities can be performed more efficiently.
If you notice certain things about the working methods or procedures within your company, you report this to the line management. If processes do not run as expected, they can pose a risk to the environment, the quality of products or services. The highest management can then instruct the line manager in question to implement improvements.
In general, the KAM manager organizes and carries out the internal audits, possibly supplemented by a team of selected people in the organization (an internal audit team). It is important that the team has no interest in the results of the audit. In other words, that members of the internal audit team do not assess processes for which they themselves are responsible. This not only prevents conflicts of interest, but also ensures that representative information emerges from the internal audit.
It is important that you perform internal audits in a systematic, independent way: based on the policy, objectives and vision of the organization. When you succeed in improving processes in the organization, the system really contributes to the goals set by your management and board.
The NEN-EN 19011 contains guidelines and tools to better organize internal audits within your organization.
