There are some unscrupulous organizations that come into your facility with a quality manual under their arm, come back a few weeks later, perform an audit and then issue you a "certificate". ISO in a box.
Consultants are not permitted to answer audit related questions as they are not employees of the company being registered. You could attend an audit If the CB allowed you to but technically you are forbidden from answering questions or even being in the same room where the audit is taking place. If you refused to comply and took an active part in the audit the audit would be suspended until you were removed from the building.
Consultants simply help companies establish and implement a QMS; consultants do not get involved in the actual registration audit. The contract entered into for registration is with the CB and the auditee. The consultant is not part of that contract. During a registration audit the auditee must demonstrate conformance with the standard not the consultant. Is that clear enough for you ?
Consultants are not permitted to participate in the audit so I don't have to worry about who is answering questions. The QMS is, for all intents and purposes, the responsibility of Top Management not some consultant who has promised the "moon". I'm sure you know the type " Don't worry, I'm an expert, I'll get you through this, you'll get the registration "
I suggest you contact your CB and ask them to forward you a copy of their policy re. Consultant involvement. There is NO formal ISO requirement just CB policy. Petsonnally I will not allow them to be involved in any way. The company rep can leave the room and ask his consultant just keep him/her away from me. Most are pompous know-it-alls with very a poor understanding of QMS systems.
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