{"id":12460,"date":"2026-01-14T17:10:45","date_gmt":"2026-01-14T17:10:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/amtivo.com\/ie\/?post_type=resources-filter&#038;p=12460"},"modified":"2026-01-14T17:10:45","modified_gmt":"2026-01-14T17:10:45","slug":"the-three-year-iso-certification-cycle","status":"publish","type":"resources-filter","link":"https:\/\/amtivo.com\/ie\/resources\/technical\/the-three-year-iso-certification-cycle\/","title":{"rendered":"The Three-Year ISO Certification Cycle"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2 aria-level=\"2\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Gaining Your Initial Certification: Stage One Audit<\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The first significant milestone within the ISO certification process is to undertake a stage one audit<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. The stage one audit is an opportunity for you and the auditor to gain an understanding of whether you are managing and complying with your proposed scope of services and the targets you have set for your company within your management system. (A management system is a set of procedures, policies and processes that enable an organisation to achieve its objectives, such as maintaining quality or managing security risks). The majority of organisations will have many of these elements already in place, but they may not have formally documented them.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The assessment completed by the auditor\u00a0determines\u00a0the readiness of a full audit at stage two, with the opportunity to\u00a0identify\u00a0any areas of concern beforehand.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Following completion of the stage one audit,\u00a0all of\u00a0the findings are presented in a\u00a0<\/span><span>concise<\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">but\u00a0<\/span><span>informative\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">audit report. The report will show what are known as \u2018non-conformities\u2019.\u00a0There are two classes of non-conformities:<\/span><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\"><strong>Minor non-conformities:<\/strong>\u00a0These can be resolved with internal action plans and can\u00a0generally be\u00a0addressed\u00a0relatively quickly.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\"><strong>Major non-conformities:<\/strong> These are more serious and need to be resolved via a plan that you agree with your auditor. These are likely to take a little more time to resolve than minor non-conformities.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">As a whole, the\u00a0report will help you to easily\u00a0identify\u00a0and focus on the areas requiring improvement and the processes that may need strengthening\u00a0in order to\u00a0achieve certification.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">In summary, the stage one audit\u00a0<\/span><span>ensures readiness and provides an<\/span><span>\u00a0opportunity\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">to\u00a0<\/span><span>identify<\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span><span>actions <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">so that the transition through to stage two and achievement of your certification can be smooth and successful for you and your business.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p aria-level=\"2\">\u00a0<\/p>\r\n<h2 aria-level=\"2\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">A Closer Look: Stage Two Audit<\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The stage two audit is the next vital stage in achieving certification.\u00a0<\/span><span>Complet<\/span><span>ed\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">within the months\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">after your stage one, this is the audit that will evaluate and confirm your management system in its entirety<\/span><span>\u00a0against the standard\u2019s requirements<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Through thorough review and analysis of your processes, conducting interviews and evaluation of performance, the auditor will confirm the efficiency of your management system.\u00a0Ultimately, the\u00a0stage two audit will have two\u00a0possible outcomes:<\/span><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Recommendation for, and achievement of, ISO certification<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Highlighting areas that require further improvement and\/or correction in order to achieve certification<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Following completion of the assessment, an audit report will be produced detailing the audit findings. If there are no findings, you will have achieved certification, and therefore, the report will be accompanied by your certificate. However, should the assessment identify areas that require further improvement as a result of identified non-conformities, a Corrective Action Plan will need to be completed and submitted before certification can be awarded.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The aim of a Corrective Action Plan is to encourage you to evaluate the root causes of the non-conformities in order to facilitate and plan the actions you will take to overcome these. As with the stage one audit, the non-conformities will be classified in two different ways &#8211; minor non-conformities or major non-conformities. Should there be major non-conformities identified, supporting evidence will also need to be submitted alongside your Corrective Action Plan.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Our team will provide clear guidance and next steps\u00a0in order to\u00a0achieve\u00a0timely\u00a0certification.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">* As an<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.inab.ie\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">INAB-accredited certification body<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, we must remain impartial and not partake in any form of consulting or implementation. Should you need further support, beyond the guidance we are able to offer,<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/amtivo.com\/ie\/about-us\/work-with-us\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\"> we can introduce you to an impartial selection of third-party providers<\/span><\/a> <span data-contrast=\"auto\">who can provide these\u00a0additional\u00a0services.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p aria-level=\"2\">\u00a0<\/p>\r\n<h2 aria-level=\"2\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Ongoing Checks: Surveillance Audits<\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">One of the central pillars of the ISO\u00a0methodology\u00a0is a deliberate focus on continual improvement. One way of verifying that companies are adhering to the standards set out by certification is through annual surveillance audits. With larger organisations, the audit may need to be completed through a multi-stage approach to ensure that\u00a0all of\u00a0the individual units meet the required standards.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">During the surveillance audit,\u00a0<\/span><span>auditors are\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">ensuring that\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">the systems and processes c<\/span><span>ontinue to conform to the\u00a0<\/span><span>requirements<\/span><span>\u00a0of the standard.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><strong>The surveillance audit will always review these areas:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Systems performance and maintenance<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Preventative and corrective actions and processes<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The effectiveness of your own <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/amtivo.com\/ie\/iso-training-courses\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">internal auditing<\/span><\/a> <span data-contrast=\"auto\">process<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The implementation of recommendations following your internal audits<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Regular management reviews of ISO implementation<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Customer satisfaction rates<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Updates to the documentation systems<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The surveillance audit will be conducted by your auditor, who will check any previous non-conformities from previous inspections, the effectiveness of your systems within the context of your audits, new activities and previous results. Whilst these surveillance audits are essential for ensuring that your company stays on track, they have a deeper benefit \u2013 surveillance audits are an essential step in preparing your company for recertification, which happens at the end of each three-year cycle.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p aria-level=\"2\">\u00a0<\/p>\r\n<h2 aria-level=\"2\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Recertification Audits<\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Once achieved, your certificate is valid for three years (subject to the outcome of your annual surveillances). At the end of the three years, a recertification audit is undertaken. This audit will be similar in detail and intensity to the pre-certification stage two audit.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">This audit explores the same areas as surveillance audits but looks more deeply into the holistic and global implications of your implementation strategy. It reviews the whole of your processes and systems from beginning to end, as well as investigating your continued commitment to continual improvement.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The auditor will perform a thorough examination of every aspect of implementation before issuing your certificate, with a potential outline for the next certification cycle.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><strong>As with the stage two audit, the recertification will have two potential outcomes:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Recommendation for, and achievement of, ISO certification<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Highlighting areas that require further improvement and\/or correction in order to achieve certification for a further three years<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Understand the ISO certification cycle with Amtivo. Learn about stage one, stage two, surveillance, and recertification audits for ongoing compliance.","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":12461,"template":"","resource":[197],"resource-tag":[],"class_list":["post-12460","resources-filter","type-resources-filter","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","resource-technical"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.3 (Yoast SEO v27.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The Three-Year ISO Certification Cycle - Amtivo<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Understand the ISO certification cycle with Amtivo. 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