Guidelines for Auditing Management Systems
The definitive guide to auditing management systems - principles, managing audit programmes, and conducting audits of any ISO management system.
- Audit Principles
- Audit Programme Management
- Conducting Audits
- Auditor Competence
- Remote Auditing
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About ISO 19011:2026 - Guidelines for Auditing Management Systems
ISO 19011:2018 provides guidelines for auditing management systems. It is the definitive international reference for planning, conducting, and managing audits of any ISO management system standard - including ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, ISO 27001, ISO 42001, and others. The 2018 revision added guidance on risk-based auditing and remote auditing techniques.
The standard is organized around seven audit principles that underpin the integrity and effectiveness of the audit process: integrity, fair presentation, due professional care, confidentiality, independence, evidence-based approach, and risk-based approach. These principles guide auditor behaviour and the design of audit programmes.
Clause 5 covers the management of an audit programme - the set of audits planned over a defined period. Audit programme managers must consider the strategic direction of the organization, the significance of the management system, the results of previous audits, and the maturity of the management system being audited. Clause 6 covers the conduct of individual audits, from initiating the audit through preparing audit activities, conducting the audit, preparing and distributing the audit report, and completing the audit. Clause 7 covers the competence and evaluation of auditors, specifying the knowledge, skills, and personal attributes required for auditors of different management system types.
Annex A provides guidance on specific auditing topics including auditing a management system integrating multiple disciplines, auditing the context of the organization, auditing leadership and commitment, auditing risk-based thinking, auditing documented information, and conducting remote audits using digital communication tools.
ISO 19011 is used by internal auditors, lead auditors, and audit programme managers across all sectors. It is the reference standard for auditor training and certification programs and is used alongside ISO/IEC 17021-1 for third-party certification audits.
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