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XYZ Corporation is an organisation that employs 100 people. As audit team leader, you are conducting a
certification audit at Stage 1. When reviewing the quality management system (QMS) documentation, you
find that quality objectives have been set for every employee in the organisation except top management.
The Quality Manager complains that this has created a lot of resistance to the QMS, and the Chief Executive
is asking questions about how much it will cost. He asks for your opinion on whether this is the correct
method of setting objectives.
Three months after Stage 1, you return to XYZ Corporation to conduct a Stage 2 certification audit as Audit
Team Leader with one other auditor. You find that the Quality Manager has cancelled the previous quality
objectives for all employees and replaced them with a single objective for himself. This states that "The
Quality Manager will drive multiple improvements in the QMS in the next year". The Quality Manager indicates
that this gives him the authority to issue instructions to department managers when quality improvement is
needed. He says that this approach has the full backing of senior management. He shows you the latest
Quality Improvement Request that was included in the last management review.
After further auditing, the issues below were found. Select three statements that apply to the term 'audit trail'
Based on the scenario and the concept of an 'audit trail' within the context of ISO 9001, the three statements that apply would likely be:
A . Decisions on improvement action timescales not involving departmental managers. This indicates a lack of involvement and communication with those responsible for implementing the improvements, which is a key part of an effective audit trail1.
B . Evaluation of the results of the improvement action not always documented by the Quality Manager. Proper documentation is essential for an audit trail, as it provides evidence that actions have been evaluated and are effective1.
C . Limited knowledge of the content of Quality Improvement Requests by departmental staff. An audit trail should ensure that all relevant parties are aware of and understand the actions being taken, which is not the case here1.
These points suggest issues with the communication, documentation, and involvement of relevant personnel in the quality management system processes, which are crucial for maintaining an effective audit trail and, by extension, a robust quality management system.