QIC Global and Bluewolf are the same company.
QIC Global and Bluewolf are the same company.
By: Bluewolfcerts | Date: 07.01.2026
Are you looking for ways to improve your business process? Well, obtaining the latest ISO 9001 certification by passing the ISO 9001 audit process would be a good way to do so. The ISO 9001 standard is globally recognized for QMS (Quality Management Systems). Implementing the ISO 9001 standard in your company procedures shows that all the products and services your brand delivers are high-quality and safe, meeting customer needs. However, to pass the ISO 9001 audit, you must conduct internal audits. They are an important part of the QMS of any organization. And for that, you must know the audit criteria for ISO 9001 beforehand.
To get your organization ISO 9001 certified, you must meet the requirements for the internal ISO 9001 audit to ensure compliance with the standard. The internal audits can help your organization assess the compliance of your QMS, products, services, and procedures against the objectives you self-declared.
Do you want to know more about the criteria for the internal ISO 9001 audit process? Let us dive into the following blog post to discuss more about the basic requirements of the ISO 9001 internal audit process.
What is the internal ISO 9001 audit process?
The ISO 9001 standard defines the guidelines that an organization must follow to implement and maintain its QMS.
The process also includes conducting internal audits at regular intervals.
As per Clause 9.2 of the ISO 9001 standard, the organization must conduct internal audits at times to provide information on whether the organization’s quality management systems comply with the organization’s requirements along with the latest ISO 9001 requirements to ensure that it is implemented and maintained effectively.
The ISO 9001 internal audit process is defined as a “systematic, documented, and independent” procedure to obtain audit evidence and evaluate it to check the extent to which audit criteria are fulfilled.
The ISO 9001 internal audit of your organization should be:
1.Independent
The internal ISO 9001 audit should be carried out by the auditor in an impartial manner.
Hence, you must assign someone who is not responsible for the system, product, or process that is being audited.
2.Systematic
Organizations should plan for ISO 9001 internal audits by scheduling them at regular intervals and allocating necessary resources for implementing the ISO 9001 standard.
You should also need management support for this process.
3.Documented
Organizations should document the evidence of compliance requirements with internal ISO 9001 audits through tests, observations, measurements, and other means.
Organizations then must communicate with the management about the results of the audit with recommendations for corrective actions that must be implemented without further delay.
What are the basic requirements for the ISO 9001 internal audit process?
The basic requirements of ISO 9001 internal audits are usually established by the quality manager of the organization.
It consists of the 6 key steps, which are as follows:
1.Planning and maintaining the audit program of the organization
The internal audit program for the ISO 9001 standard should include the frequency of the audits, the person/s responsible for carrying out the audit, and the methods used during the audit.
The quality manager would also develop the requirements and mechanisms for reporting to make sure that the recommendations and results from the previous internal ISO 9001 audit have been implemented.
2.Defining the scope and criteria of the ISO 9001 internal audit
Organizations should ensure that the criteria remain uniform from one audit to the next ones.
It makes assessing the progress of recommendation implementation over time easier than ever.
However, you should also ensure that the criteria is also flexible enough to be changed as needed, to keep it relevant to the objectives of the organization.
3.Selecting auditors who are impartial
Organizations should find auditors to represent the company and ensure that the selected one is unbiased and not involved in any of the activities that are being audited.
You can alternatively hire a third-party ISO 9001 auditing firm for the process.
It will ensure that there is no conflict of interest.
4.Reporting internal audit results to management
The internal ISO 9001 audits represent a valuable data set assessing the overall compliance of the organization to the ISO 9001 standard alongside the areas of further improvement.
Organizations must communicate the results to management to ensure that the necessary actions are being taken.
5.Implementing the recommendations and CAPAs
Organizations should implement the recommendations from the ISO 9001 internal audit and the CAPAs (Corrective and Preventive Actions) for areas of improvement.
Besides that, organizations should assess the effectiveness of these measures in subsequent ISO 9001 internal audits.
6.Retaining documentation as evidence
Organizations must retain the audit documentation using their document management systems as evidence that the audits were implemented.
These records should be available readily at the correct access levels for corrective and preventive actions (CAPAs), external audits, and internal reporting.
How to find the right third-party ISO 9001 auditing firm for your organization?
Obtaining an ISO 9001 certification is not mandatory, but a crucial process for various reasons.
Hence, you will find lots of third-party ISO 9001 auditing firms across the country.
However, they are not the same even though they offer similar services nationwide.
So, you must find the right one for your company’s ISO 9001 audit process.
Wondering how you can do so?
Well, you should consider the following factors when looking for a third-party ISO 9001 auditing firm for your organization’s internal ISO 9001 audit process:
1.Check the expertise and reputation of the third-party ISO 9001 auditing team
2.Enquire about their knowledge of the ISO 9001 standard and its implementation process
3.Evaluate their understanding of the latest ISO 9001 guidelines and requirements
4.Check the testimonials from their present and former customers on implementing the ISO 9001 standard
5.Ask for customer portfolios and referrals on the ISO 9001 implementation process
6.Know the estimated timeline and budget for the ISO 9001 certification process
7.Check the relevant ISO certification and qualifications of the third-party ISO 9001 auditing firm
Take away
Are you wondering if your organization should get ISO 9001 certified or not? Well, obtaining the ISO 9001 certification is not a mandatory requirement for running a business. However, getting the company ISO 9001 certified can help you in numerous ways, including improving the company image, gaining a competitive edge, increasing customer trust, entering the global marketplace, and improving the overall procedures. However, you must know the internal audit criteria for ISO 9001 to implement and maintain your company’s quality management systems (QMS). We hope this blog post can help you understand it.
