Opening meeting for Third-Party Audit--Who should say what?

[ScottK]

I wing it every single time based on the audience.

 

[Elena_Elena_Elena]

Very little. The opening meeting is too late to be making extended statements.

If you have something instructive, informative, helpful for your people to hear about the audit, it should have been done days or a week prior to the audit, in audit preparatory/refresher meetings or huddles.

Hello,

right, but how should I welcome auditors, should I make a pre speech before they start to talk intorudcing themselves and providing autid details ?

 

[Elena_Elena_Elena]

Elena,

I was trying to advise that as auditee the audit is not your show.

Just make sure the lead auditor has all he or she needs to fulfill the agreed audit objective.

John

Right, Fortunatelly its not my show but to be polite and somehow start this short introducing should I say something as being proxy of the company ?

 

[John Broomfield]

Elena,

Introductions will be enough as attendees sign in to the opening meeting.

Then advise the attendees the location for the closing meeting (it may need to be a larger room).

John

 

[Tagin]

Hello,

right, but how should I welcome auditors, should I make a pre speech before they start to talk intorudcing themselves and providing autid details ?

I usually do not, but you could do a brief introduction. Maybe in a larger organization there is more of a need for that, but in general, the audit plan should be everyone's guide, so maybe mention that and have it up on the screen, or copies passed around, during the intro.

 

[Randy]

Here's the checklist I've pretty much been using for 20 years of 3rd party auditing, it's been used for every type of audit I've done for every ISO and other standard I've audited including 9001-14001-45001-50001-BS16001-PAS99-RCMS-RC14001-ANSI Z10. Some might not like it, but accreditation witness auditors have not once had a negative comment.

The opening and closings should not be long, drug out affairs that turn into torture sessions, and in all honesty from what I've experienced, the vast majority of people that show up are either doing so for face time to demonstrate "their interest", because they were instructed to do so to impress the auditor somehow, or as non-contributory strap-hangers who'll have little or no engagement during the audit.

Just do a quick intro of the auditor, maybe a quick blurp about what's going to happen, and then turn it over. Most of the time there is no need for a long, protracted dog & pony show involving a never ending cycle of smoke & mirrors, power points, and speeches. If the opening or closing go beyond 15-30 minutes time has been wasted and you accomplished very little more than an extended meet & greet which has nearly bored most of the parties to death.

Harsh reality.

 

[Enghabashy]

*The opening meeting of external audit can include :

1- 1st of all : good morning Ladies & Gentlemen
2- happy to be with you again " if applicable , representing the names & positions by each one or by management representative ; the attendance list could be recorded& issued latter on
3-the scope & objectives of the audit
4- the short summery of the distributed audit plan / schedule
5-how classifying the findings " NCs. , Observation , opportunity of improvements , --etc.
6-the confidentiality requirements " i.e. ; the results / findings didn't disclose to 3rd party except the accreditation consideration
7- the proposed time of closing meeting & for final reports
8-if there's something confidentially through the audit tour ‘ please inform
9-if there's any additional question
*Regarding internal audit ' it could be shorter because it's made many times before , the auditors & audited are well knowing each other , they are in same company
** please note that the opening & closing meetings are requirements of certification body , there’s no requirement in the standard , but ISO 19011 can be more detailed in clause 6.4.2 : Conducting the opening meeting or you could check the last version in 2018

 

[mattador78]

Usually start with "do you want a brew and we are ordering some hot food for 10am do you want a bacon sandwich"

 

[John Broomfield]

Usually start with "do you want a brew and we are ordering some hot food for 10am do you want a bacon sandwich"

…and don’t forget the chocolate HobNobs!

 

[Howard Atkins]

I am a vegetarian