Assessing Auditor Capability and Eligibility
Updated on June 10, 2025

Participant Activity: Assessing Auditor Capability and Eligibility #

In this session, each participant is required to reflect on their personal qualifications to determine their readiness and eligibility to conduct audits in a specified business sector.

Instructions: #

  1. Draw Your Auditor Profile
    Each participant shall prepare a self-profile containing the following:
    • Academic Qualifications: Tertiary education and above (Diploma, Bachelor’s, Master’s, or higher).
    • Work Experience:
      • Total years of experience in professional practice.
      • Years of experience in specific industries/sectors (e.g., construction, manufacturing, plantation, healthcare, etc.).
    • Specific Knowledge & Credentials:
      • Any formal certifications or recognized training completed (e.g., ISO 45001 Lead Auditor, ISO 9001, MSPO, RSPO, etc.).
      • Relevant technical or sector-specific qualifications (e.g., OSH Coordinator, Environmental Officer, Risk Assessor).
  2. Cross-Check with IAF Requirements
    Using the guidance in the following link, compare your profile against the required competencies:
    👉 IAF Guidelines – Auditor Competency, Knowledge, and Skills
  3. Assess if you meet the functional, technical, legal, and human factor understanding expected of a certified auditor.
  4. Refer to IAF Table A1
    Evaluate your capability based on:
    👉 ISO/IEC 17021-1 Table A1 – Evaluation of Knowledge and Skills by Sector.
    👉 ISO/IEC 17021-4: Annex A – Knowledge and Skills for Auditing the specified standards. Review the Annex A competencies required for auditing OH&S management systems specifically.
  5. Outcome Presentation
    • Determine if you are eligible at an entry-level to conduct audits in your preferred sector(s).
    • Identify any gaps in competency, industry exposure, or training that must be fulfilled.
    • Present your conclusion in 3 parts:
      • Summary of your profile
      • Match/mismatch with IAF sector requirements
      • Are you qualified to audit in your chosen sector at entry-level? Why or why not?

This activity is essential for developing awareness of how auditor qualifications align with recognized international requirements and helps define a clear path toward becoming a competent and credible auditor in your selected management system standard.

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