A surveillance audit is a regular check by which the certification body verifies, during the validity of the certificate, that the management system continues to function. It is usually carried out once a year and has a smaller scope than the certification audit – it does not go through the whole system, but selected areas, mandatory elements such as the internal audit and management review, and above all whether the nonconformities from the previous audit have been closed out. The scope and price depend on the size of the organisation, the number of sites and the extent of certification, which is why contracts usually include a reservation for a price change if the company grows. Skipping or postponing a surveillance audit is not without consequences: the certification body can suspend the certificate and, in the event of prolonged non-compliance, withdraw it, which means the company also loses the right to use the certification mark.
See also: Certification audit, Recertification audit, Internal audit and management review.
