Iso 19011:2002--a combined auditing standard for quality and environmental management systems

In a precedent-setting decision in 1998, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) directed ISO Technical Committee (TC) 176 on Quality Management and ISO TC 207 on Environmental Management to develop jointly a single guideline standard for auditing quality and environmental management systems. When approved, this standard would replace ISO 10011-1, ISO 10011-2, and ISO 10011-3 on quality auditing and ISO 14010, ISO 14011, and ISO 14012 on environmental auditing. A Joint Working Group (JWG) was established comprising experts from both TC 176 and TC 207 to develop the new standard, ISO 19011, Guidelines on Quality and/or Environmental Management Systems Auditing, and to incorporate lessons learned from efforts to improve compatibility between ISO 9001/9004 and ISO 14001/14004, the standards for quality and environmental management systems, respectively. Work is proceeding on the development of ISO 19011 with an expected completion in early 2002.