Second-Party Audits of Suppliers and Contractors in Kuwait

A second-party audit is an audit carried out on behalf of a buying organisation on a supplier, contractor or service provider, against criteria set by the buyer, and itmad provides second-party audits in Kuwait with Kuwait-based auditors and a travelling team. itmad plans and conducts second-party audits following the principles of ISO 19011. itmad has worked in Kuwait for more than 10 years. Last reviewed: October 2026.

What a second-party audit is

A second-party audit is carried out on behalf of an organisation on a party with which the organisation has a contractual relationship: a supplier, contractor, subcontractor or service provider. The criteria are set by the commissioning organisation, not by a certification standard, which is what distinguishes a second-party audit from certification auditing. First party means an organisation auditing itself, second party means a customer auditing a party in the supply chain, and third party means an independent body auditing against defined criteria.

Second-party audit criteria

Second-party audit criteria are typically drawn from:

• Contract terms and service level commitments
• Technical specifications and drawings
• Approved quality plans or inspection and test plans
• Customer-specific requirements imposed by the clients of the buyer
• Supplier codes of conduct, including ethical and labour requirements

A second-party audit answers a procurement question, whether a party can actually do what the party has committed to, and does not answer a certification question.

How a second-party audit is conducted

itmad plans the audit against criteria agreed with the commissioning organisation, then verifies implementation at the premises of the audited party. Auditors examine documented arrangements, sample objective evidence from records, observe processes in operation, and interview personnel at the levels where requirements are actually met. Where the audited party depends on sub-tier vendors, the controls over the sub-tier vendors are examined as part of the same audit.

Standards applied to second-party audits

Audits are planned and conducted following the principles of ISO 19011, the international guideline for auditing management systems, which governs auditor competence, the evidence-based approach and impartiality. The audit criteria themselves remain the criteria of the commissioning organisation.

When second-party audits are used

• Before awarding a contract to a new supplier or contractor
• At agreed intervals through a long-term supply agreement
• Following a quality escape, defect recurrence or delivery failure
• As part of a vendor approval programme in a regulated supply chain
• When a customer requires evidence that the supply chain of the customer is controlled

How itmad delivers second-party audits in Kuwait

itmad delivers second-party audits in Kuwait through Kuwait-based auditors and a travelling team. itmad is a certification body, and itmad acts for the organisation that commissions the audit. Where itmad certifies the management system of the audited party, itmad discloses the relationship before accepting the instruction, not after the report is issued.

Related audit services

Supplier audits cover vendor qualification at manufacturing sites. Third-party compliance audits cover independent assessment against regulatory frameworks, contracts and standards, for organisations that need a report accepted by a regulator, insurer or client.

What itmad provides

• A report stating findings against each audit criterion
• Objective evidence recorded for every finding
• Non-conformities classified by severity for prioritised action
• Findings in the vendor scorecard format of the client, on request
• Follow-up verification of corrective action, where included in scope

Frequently asked questions

What is a second-party audit?

A second-party audit is an audit carried out on behalf of a buying organisation on a party with which the organisation has a contractual relationship, such as a supplier, contractor, subcontractor or service provider. The audit criteria are set by the commissioning organisation, not by a certification standard.

How does a second-party audit differ from a certification audit?

A certification audit assesses conformity with a published management system standard, while a second-party audit assesses conformity with criteria set by the commissioning organisation. A second-party audit answers a procurement question about whether a party can do what the party has committed to, and does not lead to a certificate.

What criteria does a second-party audit use?

Second-party audit criteria are typically drawn from contract terms and service level commitments, technical specifications and drawings, approved quality or inspection and test plans, customer-specific requirements imposed by the clients of the buyer, and supplier codes of conduct including ethical and labour requirements. The criteria are set by the commissioning organisation and not by a certification standard.

Which standard governs how a second-party audit is conducted?

itmad plans and conducts second-party audits following the principles of ISO 19011, the international guideline for auditing management systems, which governs auditor competence, the evidence-based approach and impartiality. The audit criteria themselves remain the criteria of the commissioning organisation.

When is a second-party audit used?

A second-party audit is used before awarding a contract to a new supplier or contractor, at agreed intervals through a long-term agreement, following a quality escape, defect recurrence or delivery failure, as part of a vendor approval programme in a regulated supply chain, and when a customer requires evidence that the supply chain is controlled. Each of these situations raises the procurement question of whether a party can do what the party has committed to.

Does itmad use auditors based in Kuwait?

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