The most general definition of an audit is an evaluation of an organization, a system, a project, a product or a service. An audit, realised by auditor, is a methodical process, which is independent and documented in order to collect objective information to determine how audit requirements are satisfied.
There are two types of audits:
- Internal audits that are conducted by the corporation itself for internal purposes and can establish the basis of a self-declaration of compliance.
- External audits that are carried out by external independent agencies like Cotecna.
Such agencies, generally accredited, provide registration or certification of compliance for standards such as ISO 9001 or 14001.