The case study below summarizes a pattern we commonly observe with clients who received a major nonconformity at their Stage 2 audit, yet successfully closed it out and achieved certification without restarting the audit from scratch.
Context of the finding
Major nonconformities in cases like this typically arise from inconsistent implementation evidence — for example, a written procedure exists, but the records of it being carried out on the ground are incomplete or don’t match the organization’s own stated schedule.
Follow-up steps
The auditor sets a deadline (typically 90 days) for the organization to submit corrective evidence: a root cause analysis, corrective actions, and records showing those actions were implemented. Internal teams that respond promptly to this deadline tend to close out the follow-up within a single surveillance cycle, without needing a full re-audit.
Key takeaway
The recurring pattern in cases like this: a major nonconformity isn’t the end of the certification process, as long as the organization responds quickly with an honest root cause analysis rather than a symbolic fix to the paperwork.