Clesse UK
Clesse UK Limited, a subsidiary of Clesse Industries, France, specialise in the manufacturing of regulation equipment for LPG. Their product range spans from automatic changeovers for homes and caravans to large industrial distribution systems.
When the company’s Office Manager left at short notice, Operations Administrator, Peter Cartwright, was asked to assume responsibility for their ISO 9001 Quality and ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems. Despite having no experience with ISO standards, Peter rose to the challenge.
This case study explores how internal auditor training played a key role in helping Clesse enhance team engagement, streamline processes and strengthen supply chain management.
Navigating the unknown
Peter’s transition into ISO responsibilities was challenging. There had been no formal handover, and his understanding of ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 was limited. The timing made matters more complex as Clesse’s re-certification audit was fast approaching, leaving little time to get up to speed. He recalls:
“Initially, I was just trying to get my head around what ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 were, how they relate to the business and what needed doing. I had no idea what I was doing. The support from ISO QSL has been invaluable and helped me understand the frameworks. This not only got us through the re-certification audit but helped us start developing things again, like our internal auditing.”
This initial guidance helped Peter identify any gaps in compliance and begin to restructure the management systems more effectively.
Changing perspectives
After recognising the need to build confidence and capability, Peter signed up for an upcoming internal auditor training day with ISO QSL. His goal was to gain a solid understanding of internal auditing and ensure he approached the role effectively from the start:
“I went on the internal auditor training because it’s something I had no experience in. I wanted to understand how to do it properly before going and doing it because it kind of defeats the point otherwise.”
The training completely shifted Peter’s approach to internal auditing. He initially perceived internal audits as a fault-finding exercise, which is a common misconception that often creates resistance to internal audits. However, Peter soon realised that they are a constructive tool for understanding and improving processes:
“You think of auditing as a way to find problems. It’s quite different to that. You’re getting an idea of how the process works, how it relates to people doing their jobs and what challenges they might face. I was able to approach auditing in a much more constructive way than perhaps I would have done otherwise.”
Through the training, he developed key skills in rapport building, questioning techniques, and the purpose of auditing, which helped boost both his confidence and team engagement.
“It gave me a lot of confidence. When you’re performing that role, and somebody is being audited, if you don’t seem confident with what you’re doing, then they’re not going to give you the best reaction that you could get.”
Boosting employee engagement
A common challenge in implementing ISO standards is getting employee buy-in, something Peter was quick to address. Drawing on his training, he adopted a people-focused approach to internal auditing, working to shift the perspective of ISO being a hindrance to something that could enhance their work and the company as a whole.
“I was able to build a rapport with the people doing the jobs from the position of the ISO standards, explaining why we do it, how it benefits them and the company in general.”
By explaining the purpose and benefits of ISO, and using the questioning techniques learned during training, Peter successfully reframed auditing as a collaborative process:
“The trainer talked quite a lot about the psychology behind questioning people and trying to get the answers you’re looking for without making them feel too pressured or scrutinised. I really put that into practice during audits, and the results were good.”
This approach significantly increased employee engagement and created a more positive attitude towards the process. This in turn improved the effectiveness of the overall management system.
Creating a centralised process for supplier non-conformances
One of the most significant improvements Peter introduced was the creation of a central register for supplier non-conformances. Previously, issues had been difficult to track, often recorded informally or buried in emails. By implementing a process and making it document-controlled, Peter improved the efficiency of resolving supplier issues:
“We’ve now gone into a situation where we have a central register that is all document controlled and kept up to date by the relevant people.”
This system enables Clesse to track supplier performance more accurately, resolve issues faster, and provide evidence of compliance during audits. It also strengthens supplier relationships by demonstrating a consistent, fair, and formalised process.
Plans for business growth
Looking forward, Clesse is launching several new products in 2025, and Peter feels ISO standards have played a central role in ensuring smooth development and delivery:
“We are gearing up to launch a couple of new products, which has been helped by having these procedures in place.”
Final thoughts
Peter advocates for formal training for anyone looking to take on the role of internal auditor:
“I wouldn’t advise anybody to go into this without formal training because there are so many things you don’t think about. The training was well presented, easy to follow, and gives you the confidence to do it properly.”
The impact of internal auditor training for Clesse has been clear, helping them strengthen their management systems and employee engagement. Lead Auditor, Perry Simpson noted: “It was evident to see the value and benefit gained from Peter attending the internal auditor training. He demonstrated confidence and improvements to the internal audits and management system as a whole; a great example of embracing continual improvement both for business benefit and personal development.”
Peter’s journey highlights the significant benefits of investing in internal auditor training. By embracing training and applying its principles, Peter has made positive improvements to team engagement, process efficiency and supply chain management.
The experience highlights the importance of investing in training, fostering a culture of improvement, and viewing ISO not just as a tick-box exercise but as a tool for business growth.
About Internal Auditor Training
Internal auditor training is a comprehensive one-day course designed to give you the skills and knowledge required to be a confident internal auditor.
This CPD accredited training is suitable for all management systems including popular standards like ISO 9001 Quality, ISO 14001 Environmental and ISO 27001 Information Security, Cybersecurity and Privacy Protection.
The course is conducted by experienced auditors who apply theory to real-life business scenarios, helping you overcome common challenges faced during internal audits.
