# Internal Auditor Competence and Independence

## Independence (9.2.2 c)

Auditors must be objective and impartial: **do not audit your own work**. In practice: not your own department or
any process you own or perform. The quality manager should not audit document control, CAPA or the NCR process
if they run them; another trained auditor or an external auditor covers those.

## Competence (ISO 19011 clause 7)

| Area | Evidence |
|------|----------|
| Audit principles, procedures and methods | Internal auditor course (2-3 days) covering ISO 19011 |
| ISO 9001 requirements | Course certificate, test |
| Process knowledge | Enough to understand the process audited (pair with a technical expert if not) |
| Personal behaviour | Observed: ethical, open-minded, tactful, observant, decisive |
| Experience | First audits as observer, then co-auditor, then lead, signed off by the lead auditor |

Keep an auditor competence record: training, audits observed, audits led, evaluation. Re-evaluate yearly
(audit report quality, auditee feedback).

## How many auditors?

| Company size | Auditors |
|--------------|----------|
| < 20 people | 1-2 internal plus an external auditor for the auditor's own areas |
| 20-100 | 3-5 from different departments |
| > 100 | Pool of 6+, about one per 20-30 staff, with a lead auditor |

Each auditor should do at least 2-3 audits a year to stay skilled.

## Small-company options

- Swap auditors with a partner company or supplier (mutual audits).
- Hire an external auditor for the processes the quality manager owns.
- Use a trained person from finance or HR to audit operational processes: independence matters more than seniority.