Tests on their own - the most important tool for assessing management systems in production. But for the effective use of internal audit, it is necessary to competently organize this process.
We bring to your attention instructions for internal audit in food production.
We develop documentation
Internal audit begins with the development of a procedure that must contain at least:
- Application area
- Terms and Definitions
- Normative references
- Information about responsible persons
- Internal audit program
- Internal audit plan
- The method of assessing internal auditors
- Check list
- Requirements for the report and plan of corrective events
- The procedure for matching audit results
- Monitoring the implementation of the Corrective Action Plan
It must be prescribed in the procedure the frequency of audit, as well as the grounds for unscheduled internal audits.
We form teams
Think in advance how the internal auditors will be evaluated.
When evaluating, it is necessary to consider personal and professional qualities and the skills of the internal auditor.
Organizational matters
The internal audit plan is drawn up immediately before the audit.
The plan contains detailed information on who will be in the audit group, about dividing responsibilities, time to audit each unit or process applied by checking methods.
If the audit is declared, notify the audit and plan to be checked.
As for the undeclared audit, it makes sense if the assessment of the internal control system or risk management system is included in the main functionality of auditors, or if there are high risks of abuse, negligence relationship, fraud.
Start an audit from the introductory assembly. Explain:
- That internal audit will check and for what standards / requirements
- Remind how in accordance with the procedure will be categorized with risks
- Who will be involved in the process and when
- What tools will apply auditors
- In what time frames it will be necessary to make up and implement a plan for corrective and warning events
- Discuss a request for documents and data that may be needed when conducting an audit.
It is useful to clarify that you have no goal to find guilty or inconsistencies, but on the contrary, the goal is to collect evidence that the system works.
When conducting an audit, write down in detail everything seen and heard.
According to the results of the audit, it is important to obtain confirmation that:
- The process is documented,
- The company's performance is measured,
- The company can prove that it works in accordance with the regulations and instructions,
- The staff understands their role.
At the final meeting, thank the inspected for their help during an internal audit. Explain that the internal audit is based on the sample and that this is a slice of the situation at the moment. Remind that any questions are welcome.
Give a general summary of your conclusions during an audit. This is an opportunity to summarize your thoughts and give feedback on those areas in which the system works well. This advice will help to save people from stereotype that audit is a search for inconsistencies. After you can discuss and identified problems: listen to any comments made and questions.
After the verification is completed, form an internal audit report. At the time being, you will receive a plan of corrective activities from the audible unit with an indication of the responsible and planned date of implementation. Consider and track execution.
Successfully applying the principles of internal audit, you not only check the management system, but also reduce the risks.
A source
Read also about the most common mistakes based on the results of the nutritional audit.