Personnel involved in certification activities
7.2.1 KPIs are monitored to ensure we always have enough competent personnel to manage and support the range of audit schemes and certification activities offered.
7.2.2 We ensure we always have enough auditors, audit team leaders, and access to technical experts as required, to cover the work we undertake.
We will not accept a certification application if we cannot service the request.
7.2.3 Duties, responsibilities and authorities are made clear to personnel via the Organisation Chart and the responsibilities list. See also Roles, Responsibilities and Authorities.
7.2.4 Our Recruitment and Selection Process supports the selection, training (where necessary), and formal authorisation of auditors, and the selection and familiarisation of technical experts that we use in the course of our work. Our initial Competence Evaluation includes assessment of the ability to apply knowledge and skills during an audit, as observed by an experienced competent auditor.
See also: Assurco Desired Behaviours Policy.
7.2.5 Our Recruitment and Selection Process supports the achievement and demonstration of effective auditing, which includes auditors processing generic auditing skills and knowledge as well as for specific technical areas.
7.2.6 Our Auditing and Certification Process informs auditors and experts used by the organisation of our audit processes, certification requirements and any other relevant requirements.
7.2.7 We identify training needs through our monitoring processes and the Assurco Continual Professional Development Procedure, and where required provide access to specific training to ensure auditors are competent.
7.2.8 The Technical Manager makes the decision on granting, refusing, maintaining, renewing, suspending, restoring, or withdrawing certification, or on expanding or reducing the scope of certification. Technical Manager Competence is documented which includes knowledge of the certification process and the ability to evaluate the outcomes of the audit processes including related recommendations of the audit team.
7.2.9 The Assurco Continual Professional Development Procedure supports the assessment of auditor competence and performance. This includes frequency of use, level of risk linked to activities, performance assessment and training needs as identified.
7.2.10 Our Assurco Continual Professional Development Procedure has provision for auditor monitoring which includes onsite observation, report review and client feedback and is conducted with minimum disruption to the client and audit process.
7.2.11 We evaluate auditors periodically on-audit to ensure competence and performance is of a high standard. See: Assurco Continual Professional Development Procedure.