The first part of an initial certification audit, a readiness review that checks whether the management system is documented and ready for the main audit.
A Stage 1 audit is a documentation and readiness review. The auditor examines the scope, policies, risk assessment, and Statement of Applicability to confirm the system is designed correctly and that the organization is ready for the deeper Stage 2 audit.
Findings from Stage 1 are usually opportunities to fix gaps before they become nonconformities. It is a checkpoint, not yet a pass or fail of the system in operation.
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