Introduction In the world of management systems auditing, ISO 19011:2018 – Guidelines for Auditing Management Systems is the definitive international standard. However, a widespread misunderstanding exists: ISO 19011 does not certify auditors . Instead, it provides the guidelines for auditing principles, managing audit programs, and conducting audits. Actual auditor certification is granted by third-party bodies (e.g., IRCA, Exemplar Global, CQI) based on competence requirements derived from ISO 19011 and specific management system standards (e.g., ISO 9001, ISO 14001).