A second-party audit is an assessment performed by an organization on its suppliers, partners or external stakeholders to verify compliance with contractual or regulatory requirements.
According to ISO 19011, a second-party audit is performed by a party with interest in the audited organization (client, buyer, parent company). It evaluates the supplier's ability to meet specific requirements and is fundamental in supply chain management and third-party risk assessment.
The buying or contracting organization, either with their own auditors or by hiring an independent external auditor on their behalf.
A second-party audit does not grant certification. Its objective is to verify the supplier meets specific contractual and regulatory requirements, not just those of an ISO standard.
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