Service
Audit preparation and follow-up
Before the audit, so you know what will be asked. After it, so the findings get closed properly rather than papered over.
Who it's for
- Businesses with a council inspection or audit coming up
- Suppliers facing a retailer or certification audit
- Anyone who has had findings raised and needs them closed
- Businesses whose customer has issued a corrective action request
What's included
- Gap assessment against the standard that applies to you
- Review of records and documentation an auditor will ask for
- A list of what to fix, prioritised by what matters
- Corrective action responses written properly — containment, root cause, corrective, preventive, verification
- Support closing findings out with the auditor or customer
- Advice on what to have ready on the day
What auditors actually look for
Records, not intentions. "We always check it" is not evidence; a record with a date, a reading and a name is. Gaps in a log are worse than no log, because a blank fortnight looks like something happened in that fortnight.
Most findings are not about the process being wrong. They are about the process not being demonstrable.
Corrective action responses
A finding closes on the strength of the response. The common mistake is recording what you did about the instance and calling it corrective action. Correction fixes the instance; corrective action stops it recurring. A response with only the first is the most common finding there is — and a response that blames an individual reads as no root cause at all.
What I cannot do
I do not audit programs I have worked on. That is a conflict of interest, and any reputable consultant will tell you the same. I also cannot issue certification — that comes from an accredited certification body after their own audit. What I can do is get you ready for theirs, and help you respond properly afterwards.
What it costs
A fixed fee, quoted before any work starts, with travel included in the number you are given. Never an hourly rate that grows.
The scoping call is free and takes fifteen minutes. If it turns out you need something smaller than you thought, I'll tell you.
Questions
Can you attend the audit with me?
For council inspections and customer audits, often yes. For certification audits it depends on the scheme and the certification body, and some have views about consultants being present.
How far in advance should we start?
Far enough that findings can actually be fixed. A gap assessment the week before tells you what you are about to fail, which is better than nothing but much worse than a month.
Can you close the findings for me?
I can write the corrective action response and prepare the evidence. The actions themselves happen in your business — that is rather the point of them.
What standard do you work to?
Whatever applies to you: the Food Standards Code, your council\u2019s requirements, a customer specification, or a GFSI-benchmarked scheme. Tell me which and I will assess against it.