Certified Supplier Quality Professional (CSQP) Practice Exam

The examination of a supplier's quality management efforts is most comparable to which type of audit?

1. A PRODUCT AUDIT

2. A PROCESS AUDIT

3. A SYSTEM AUDIT

4. AN INFORMAL AUDIT

The correct answer is: A SYSTEM AUDIT

The examination of a supplier's quality management efforts aligns closely with a system audit. A system audit assesses the entire quality management system of an organization, which includes policies, procedures, and ongoing activities designed to achieve quality objectives. It evaluates the effectiveness and conformity of the quality management system against established standards and practices. This type of audit is comprehensive, allowing for an overview of how effectively the supplier manages quality across different areas, including documentation, processes, and performance metrics. This holistic view is crucial when verifying that a supplier can consistently meet the quality requirements your organization expects. In contrast, a product audit focuses specifically on the evaluation of finished goods to check compliance with specifications and standards, which doesn't address the broader management processes. A process audit examines specific processes to determine their effectiveness and efficiency but doesn’t encompass the overall quality management system. An informal audit lacks structured methodology and systematic approach, making it less suitable for examining a supplier's comprehensive quality management efforts.