TS EN ISO/IEC 17021-3

TS EN ISO/IEC 17021-3 defines additional competence requirements for personnel involved in the audit and certification of quality management systems (QMS). It complements the general requirements of ISO/IEC 17021-1 by focusing on the knowledge, skills and experience needed by people working in the QMS certification process.

In certification audits, competence is not limited to knowing management system principles. It also includes understanding the organisation’s activities, how quality objectives are established, process-based thinking, risk-based thinking and evidence-based evaluation of audit findings. In the QMS context, this is important for consistent and technically sound audit decisions.

The role of competence in QMS certification

Quality management systems are used to control and improve how an organisation plans, operates and monitors the quality of its products and services. For that reason, personnel involved in QMS auditing are expected to apply quality management concepts, relevant sector terminology and audit techniques correctly. This standard addresses the competence framework that supports that capability for QMS work.

What the standard covers in technical terms

• Additional competence requirements for personnel involved in the audit and certification process
• A focus on quality management systems (QMS)
• A structure that complements the requirements of ISO/IEC 17021-1
• Attention to the knowledge, skills and experience of audit and certification personnel

This document helps create a common competence basis for QMS certification activities. In practice, that supports audit consistency, the reliability of assessment decisions and the technical integrity of certification processes. More broadly, personnel competence is a core element of trustworthy conformity assessment.