IRCA International Forum

IRCA auditors and quality experts from around the world gathered to discuss the issues surrounding management systems auditing at the ninth IRCA International Forum on 13 June 2010.

Hosted by IRCA Japan at the Pacifico Yokohama, this year’s forum centred around the crucial topic of effectiveness audits, with speeches discussing how both auditors and certification bodies are working to improve the audit process.

After the welcome speech from IRCA’s director, Simon Feary, delegates heard the Japanese Accreditation Body's definition of what constitutes an effectiveness audit and its policy on accreditation.

After lunch discussions covered the challenges of internal auditing, how they should change and why auditors must audit management systems both for compliance and effectiveness. The day ended with Ian Nield, CEO of Investors in Excellence, giving a presentation about the Investor in Excellence standard and what it can offer users.

Simon Feary said: ‘IRCA recognizes that the whole of the auditing industry needs to embrace changes that will help to raise confidence in third-party certification, which is why opportunities to get together at events like this are so important. The IRCA International Forum is a great opportunity for a broad variety of stakeholders to meet and discuss the issues that are vital to the sector’s future.’