Third-Party Compliance Audits in Jordan

A third-party audit is conducted by an organisation independent of both the audited party and whoever relies on the result, and itmad provides third-party compliance audits in Jordan: independent assessment against regulatory frameworks, contracts and standards, with Jordan-based auditors and a travelling team. itmad audits follow the principles of ISO 19011, and itmad is a certification body that applies strict impartiality rules. itmad has worked in Jordan for more than 10 years. Last reviewed: October 2026.

What a third-party audit is

A third-party audit is conducted by an organisation independent of both the audited party and whoever relies on the result. That independence is the entire product: independence is why a regulator, insurer or client accepts the report rather than taking the word of the audited organisation for the same facts.

First, second and third party audits

The distinction between the three types of audit is often confused, and the distinction determines who can conduct an audit.

• First partyAn organisation auditing itself. The internal audit that every management system standard requires, conducted by or on behalf of the organisation.
• Second partyA customer auditing a supplier against the criteria of the customer, which are contract terms, specifications and codes of conduct rather than a standard.
• Third partyAn independent body auditing against defined criteria, with no commercial relationship to either the audited organisation or the party relying on the result. Certification audits are one form of third-party audit; compliance audits are another.

What third-party compliance audits assess against

• Management system standards, where assessment is required without certification
• Regulatory frameworks and licence conditions
• Contractual requirements and service level commitments
• Customer codes of conduct, including ethical and labour requirements
• Client-specific technical or HSE specifications
• Group or corporate standards applied across subsidiaries
• Requirements imposed by insurers or lenders as a condition of cover or finance

How a third-party compliance audit is conducted

Scope, criteria and sampling are agreed before the audit begins, because an audit whose criteria are settled afterwards is not an audit. itmad then examines documented arrangements, samples objective evidence from records, observes activities in operation, and interviews personnel at the levels where requirements are actually met. Audits follow ISO 19011 principles of auditor competence, evidence-based findings and impartiality.

Who commissions third-party compliance audits

• Boards and audit committees seeking independent assurance
• Clients imposing requirements on contractors and needing the requirements verified
• Organisations demonstrating compliance to a regulator or licensing authority
• Insurers and lenders requiring verification as a condition
• Parent companies assessing subsidiaries or joint ventures
• Organisations preparing for an external assessment that the organisations cannot afford to fail

Impartiality rules

itmad is a certification body, and the obligations of a certification body are applied strictly: itmad does not consult on the systems that itmad audits, itmad does not perform internal audits for the organisations that itmad certifies, and where any prior relationship could reasonably be seen to affect impartiality, itmad discloses the relationship before accepting the instruction, not after the report is issued.

An audit report is only worth the independence behind the report. Anything that compromises independence destroys the value of the work, which is why the restrictions are worth more to the commissioning organisation than flexibility would be.

What itmad provides

• Findings reported against each criterion, with the objective evidence examined
• Non-conformities classified by severity
• A clear statement of what is conforming, what is not, and what could not be determined
• Reporting in the format that the relying party requires
• Follow-up verification of corrective action, where included in scope

Related audit services

Where the audit is of a supply chain against the criteria of the buyer, supplier audits and second-party audits cover that. Where the audit is against environmental or safety legislation, environment and safety compliance audits apply. Where the objective is certification against a management system standard, that is a certification audit rather than a compliance audit.

How itmad delivers third-party compliance audits in Jordan

itmad delivers third-party compliance audits in Jordan through Jordan-based auditors and a travelling team.

Frequently asked questions

What is a third-party compliance audit?

A third-party compliance audit is conducted by an organisation independent of both the audited party and whoever relies on the result. That independence is the entire product, and independence is why a regulator, insurer or client accepts the report rather than taking the word of the audited organisation for the same facts.

What is the difference between first-party, second-party and third-party audits?

A first-party audit is an organisation auditing itself, a second-party audit is a customer auditing a supplier against criteria of the customer, and a third-party audit is an independent body auditing against defined criteria with no commercial relationship to either side. Certification audits are one form of third-party audit, and compliance audits are another.

What can a third-party compliance audit assess against?

A third-party compliance audit can assess against management system standards where assessment is required without certification, regulatory frameworks and licence conditions, contractual requirements, customer codes of conduct, client-specific technical or HSE specifications, group standards applied across subsidiaries, and requirements imposed by insurers or lenders. Scope, criteria and sampling are agreed before the audit begins.

Who commissions third-party compliance audits?

Boards and audit committees seeking independent assurance commission third-party compliance audits, as do clients that impose requirements on contractors, organisations demonstrating compliance to a regulator, insurers and lenders, and parent companies assessing subsidiaries or joint ventures. Insurers and lenders also commission audits where verification is a condition of cover or finance.

What does a third-party compliance audit report state?

The report states findings against each criterion with the objective evidence examined, classifies non-conformities by severity, and makes a clear statement of what is conforming, what is not, and what could not be determined. The report is issued in the format that the relying party requires.

Does itmad use auditors based in Jordan?

itmad uses both Jordan-based auditors and a travelling team for third-party compliance audits in Jordan. itmad has worked in Jordan for more than 10 years.