ISO 19011 is the first standard (guideline) for unifying / harmonizing the series ISO 9000 and ISO 14000 International Standards for auditing. This standard fuses ISO 9000 and ISO 14000 auditing schemes. The title for ISO 19011 is Guidelines on Quality and Environmental Management System Auditing. This standard replaces ISO 10011 (part 1 through 3) and ISO 14010-ISO 14012, 6 documents in total.

Applying ISO 19011 provides organizations and mainly registrars with a tool to fuse the management system. Further, it will assist in optimizing the management system under a model for competitiveness and reduction of risk providing a basis for saving money if registration is require under both ISO 9001 (an variants) and ISO 14001 schemes (as it is for ISO/TS 16949 Registered organizations). 

The intent of ISO 19011 is to provide a guiding document for organizations, and a requirement for Third Party Registrars. ISO 19011 provides the Registrars with an approach to combine assessment of management systems ISO 9001 and ISO 14001. 

ISO 19011 includes requirements for qualification of auditors and focusing on audit teams. ISO 19011 provides a guide and enables the Registrars in setting their own competence requirements and related evaluation process. Other areas need be consider, as to enhance the process of auditing, is the combination of audit programs and individual audits in a single guideline-document. And this considers that there is a relationship of individual audits and the effectiveness of a supporting audit program.

ISO 19011 includes the addition of terms and definitions relating to the auditing protocol.

ISO 19011 covers the issues of auditing within the context of the new standard and which includes:

• Initiation of audit
• Document review
• Preparing for auditing
• On-site auditing
• Reporting the audit
• Follow-up
• Closing

The issue of auditor competency is a concern when integrating two managerial systems and opening it for professionals that may have no experience in the field of quality or environment.

Reiterating, ISO 19011 is a guideline-document for the organization registering its management system (applicable as requirement to 3rd Party Registrars), not a requirement for most organizations worldwide (exceptions are under the European EMAS / EMAR Scheme).

Auditors need be aware of the development of ISO 19011, the new standard that combines into one document the auditing guidelines for quality management systems (ISO 10011) and environmental management systems (ISO 14010, 11 & 12). ISO 19011 standard provides guidance to auditors including those who audit internally within their own organizations.

"Observation vs Opportunity for Improvement"

Under 3rd Party auditing, the term "observation" stop being used under ISO 19011 Guideline, and the term best used is "audit evidence". Defining Audit evidence as records, statements of fact or other information, which are relevant to the audit criteria and verifiable. Thus an auditor gathers evidence on the basis of facts and may conclude with a findings. A findings leads and expresses conformance or non conformance. If an auditor wants to express a concern, he or she may apply the term "opportunity for improvement", or otherwise can apply the term "observation".

Some of the effects of the new guidelines for Registrars

The certification criteria against which registration / accreditation bodies evaluates auditors remains on the basis of the internationally recognized auditing guidelines. Significant change in the guideline auditing standard requires commensurate change in the 3^rd party auditor's accreditation / certification criteria.

In the light of ISO 19011 changes need be consider and thus it is equally likely that the accreditation / registration bodies criteria for auditing need amending, and incorporating the changes brought by ISO 19011 (and alike ISO/IEC 17021).