What makes a good management system internal auditor?

August 2025

What Makes a Good Management System Internal Auditor?

Internal audits are a vital health check for any ISO-based management system. Whether your organisation is certified to ISO 9001 (Quality), ISO 14001 (Environment), ISO 45001 (Health & Safety), or ISO 27001 (Information Security), internal audits provide the feedback needed to stay on track, maintain compliance, and drive continual improvement.

Before we set out to identify what makes a good internal auditor, it might be best to firmly establish what is an internal audit.  ISO defines it as:

“A systematic and independent examination to determine whether activities and their results comply with planned arrangements, and whether these arrangements are implemented effectively and are suitable to achieve objectives”.

Or in plain English – verifying that we are doing what we set out to do, and it is working.

What do the ISO standards require of an internal auditor?

All ISO management system standard require auditors to be selected so as to ensure objectivity and the impartiality of the audit process. Again, in plain English that means that people cannot audit their own work.

Results must be documented, so a reasonable level of literacy is a given requirement for auditors.

The must be some qualification required, right? Well, actually no. None of the ISO management system standards specify a level of qualification for internal auditors. When Qudos provides consultants to perform internal audits for our clients, we insist that our auditors are qualified and experienced certification lead auditors. However, that is just our assurance to our clients, its not mandatory for everyone.

The ISO standards do require that workers are competent (on the basis of appropriate education, training or experience), and that applies to internal auditors as much as those performing any other roles.

Within your management system, you can decide what level of competence is required.

So, what does make a good internal auditor?

At Qudos, we believe that effective internal auditors share several key attributes and skills:

1. Planning skills

Effective audits begin with good planning. This may include reviewing relevant procedures and other documents, and preparing an audit checklist ahead of time.

2. Risk-Based Thinking

Modern ISO standards emphasise a risk-based approach. A good auditor should know how to focus on areas of greatest risk and opportunity, ensuring that time is used wisely and audits deliver meaningful insights that can benefit the organization.

3. Communication Skills

Auditors must be able to communicate clearly and professionally. From conducting entry and exit meetings to interviewing staff and reporting findings, strong interpersonal skills help build trust and encourage openness.

4. Observation and Analytical Skills

A good auditor is observant and analytical. They know how to gather evidence through document review, interviews, and direct observation, and how to interpret that evidence to identify nonconformities and opportunities for improvement. An auditor should also be open-minded – willing to consider different perspective.

5. Objectivity and Integrity

Internal auditors must remain impartial and objective. Their role is not to get involved in organizational politics and assign blame but to assess compliance and help the business improve. Integrity is essential to maintaining credibility and trust.

6. Clear understanding of the subject matter

An auditor should have a reasonable understanding of subject matter. They don’t have to be capable of performing the work they may be looking at. However, they should have sufficient understanding to be able to verify whether it is being performed as planned and is working. In technical fields, that may include being familiar with the relevant technology and terminology used.

Although not essential for individual audits, it can be helpful if the auditor has a grasp of the relevant ISO standards and how they apply to the organisation.

Can internal audits be outsourced?

Yes, they certainly can. Internal audits can be outsourced to specialists just like almost any activity. That can have a number of advantages including: Maintaining objectivity and impartiality, having a good deal of experience in the role of auditor, having a good understanding of the underlying ISO standards, allowing your regular workforce to get on with doing what they do best.

Whether you choose to keep the task in-house or outsource it, investing in skilled internal auditors is one of the smartest moves an organisation can make to ensure its management system delivers real value.

Qudos can offer a complete internal audit service or train your in-house personnel to become better auditors themselves. C lick on the images below or contact us to find out more.