ISO 59001 Circular Economy Management Systems Lead Auditor Training and Certification Program Planned

Programme Summary

This planned programme will develop audit team leadership for the future ISO 59001 management system after publication. Its provisional design links established audit methods with circularity evidence and resource flow decisions. Participants will practise interviewing, evidence evaluation and audit reporting through simulations. Final audit criteria, assessment content and certification arrangements depend on the published standard and subsequent course approval.

Training Objectives

1 Strengthen circular economy management audit leadership; 2 Plan defensible assignments and team responsibilities; 3 Evaluate conformity and system effectiveness; 4 Manage findings communication and audit conclusions; 5 Maintain ethical conduct and audit independence.

Learning Outcomes

1 Lead a simulated circular economy management audit; 2 Evaluate circularity indicator calculation records; 3 Direct risk based sampling and interviews; 4 Defend findings and evidence limitations; 5 Recommend proportionate corrective action follow up.

Target Audience

Audit Team Leaders; Management System Auditors; Circular Economy Managers; Sustainability Managers; Assurance Managers.

Target Industries

Industrial Manufacturing; Resource Recovery; Construction Materials; Consumer Product Manufacturing; Packaging Production.

Course Contents

• Module 1 Audit Leadership and Professional Boundaries: Audit principles impartiality and confidential information; First second and third party distinctions; Auditor competence and certification decision boundaries.
• Module 2 Audit Programme and Assignment Risk: Programme objectives and changing operational risks; Scope criteria resources and team competence; Remote methods feasibility and evidence security.
• Module 3 Auditing Circular Economy Concepts and Current Guidance: Systems thinking and circular value creation; Resource retention recovery and regeneration concepts; Published guidance versus future standard requirements.
• Module 4 Auditing Organisation and Value Network Understanding: Products services and resource flow boundaries; Supplier customer and recovery partner interfaces; Shared responsibilities and interdependent circularity decisions.
• Module 5 Auditing Resource Flow and Baseline Evidence: Resource inputs stocks and output pathways; Material origins and traceability information; Data gaps and reasonable baseline assumptions.
• Module 6 Auditing Circular Opportunities and Business Models: Durability repair reuse and refurbishment options; Product service and resource recovery models; Feasibility constraints and unintended impact review.
• Module 7 Auditing Circularity Objectives and Measurement Concepts: Purpose scope and indicator selection; Calculation boundaries and data quality; Interpretation limitations and transparent communication.
• Module 8 Auditing Operational Circularity Planning Concepts: Responsibilities resources and action sequencing; Procurement design and recovery interfaces; Partner collaboration and operational learning.
• Module 9 Auditing Circularity Evidence and Claims Discipline: Evidence supporting circularity performance statements; Assumptions uncertainty and documented limitations; Avoiding unsupported environmental or circularity claims.
• Module 10 Auditing Circularity Review and Organisational Learning: Review of circularity objectives and results; Learning from implementation and partner feedback; Future alignment after standard publication.
• Module 11 Document Review and Readiness Evaluation: Scope documents and process evidence review; Readiness concerns and additional information requests; Audit plan adjustments and communication.
• Module 12 Planning Activities and Directing the Team: Responsibilities schedules and audit trail allocation; Sampling strategy and technical expert interfaces; Team briefings progress checks and coordination.
• Module 13 Opening Meetings and Audit Communication: Confirming scope criteria and practical arrangements; Managing professional disagreement and access issues; Communicating emerging risks and material concerns.
• Module 14 Gathering and Corroborating Audit Evidence: Resource flow and origin records; Circularity indicator calculation records; Value network responsibility records.
• Module 15 Evidence Judgement and Escalation: Evidence of unverified circularity claims; Evidence of unclear resource recovery dependencies; Sampling limitations and additional evidence decisions.
• Module 16 Developing Findings and Audit Conclusions: Linking criteria evidence and supported findings; Evaluating systemic patterns and management effectiveness; Conclusions within scope and evidence limitations.
• Module 17 Reporting and Closing the Audit: Balanced report structure and clear findings; Closing meeting leadership and disagreement records; Confidential distribution and controlled audit records.
• Module 18 Corrective Action Review and Follow Up: Assessing cause analysis and proposed action; Verifying implementation and effectiveness evidence; Follow up escalation and unresolved findings.
• Module 19 Audit Quality and Professional Development: Reviewing audit performance and consistency; Technical competence and experience development; Learning feedback and ongoing ethical conduct.
• Module 20 Lead Audit Team Simulation: Lead assigned meetings and team briefings; Evaluate conflicting evidence and defend findings; Present conclusions and follow up recommendations.

Assessment

• Planned assessment: 100 single best answer questions, including applied scenarios; one mark per question.
• 150 minute invigilated digital examination with identity verification. Approved accessibility adjustments preserve the assessed competence.
• Final permitted references and assessment materials will be confirmed after publication and course approval.
• Individual applied assessment (150 minutes): Proposed leadership of a circularity audit simulation, including team direction, evidence evaluation and closing conclusions. Final audit criteria and scoring will be established after publication and before enrolment.
• Assessment criteria: Effective team direction and provisional audit planning; Traceable evidence judgements and justified conclusions; Clear communication of criteria status and evidence limitations.
• Pass each component separately: 75/100 written marks (75%) and at least 70% on the applied task.
• All mandatory criteria must pass: Do not represent draft material or provisional design choices as published ISO 59001 requirements.
• Final assessment tasks, scoring and reassessment arrangements will be validated after the standard is published and before enrolment opens.

Certification

• This planned programme is not open for enrolment and no certificate is currently offered.
• A future TQCSI Arabia Certificate of Successful Completion is conditional on publication of the standard and approval of the final course.
• Proposed award conditions are verified identity, full attendance and separate passes in the approved written and applied assessments.
• A future digital certificate would state the final programme title, published edition, learning hours, completion date and verification reference.
• The proposed issue target is within 30 calendar days of approved results and settlement of applicable fees, once the programme is released.
• No present ISO 59001 qualification, personnel certification, auditor registration or organisation certification is implied by this provisional profile.

Programme Profile

Number of daysNumber of daysNumber of days

555

Total teaching hoursTotal teaching hoursTotal teaching hours

35 hours; breaks, pre course work and formal final assessments excluded.35 hours; breaks, pre course work and formal final assessments excluded.35 hours; breaks, pre course work and formal final assessments excluded.

Delegates allowedDelegates allowedDelegates allowed

Maximum 16 delegates.Maximum 16 delegates.Maximum 16 delegates.

Training prerequisitesTraining prerequisitesTraining prerequisites

Proposed entry: circular economy experience, audit fundamentals and prior audit practice. Knowledge of the published standard will be required before delivery.Proposed entry: circular economy experience, audit fundamentals and prior audit practice. Knowledge of the published standard will be required before delivery.Proposed entry: circular economy experience, audit fundamentals and prior audit practice. Knowledge of the published standard will be required before delivery.

Pre course assignment and assessmentPre course assignment and assessmentPre course assignment and assessment

Planned 30-minute circularity case diagnostic; final pre-course materials will be released only after publication and course approval.Planned 30-minute circularity case diagnostic; final pre-course materials will be released only after publication and course approval.Planned 30-minute circularity case diagnostic; final pre-course materials will be released only after publication and course approval.

End of course assessmentEnd of course assessmentEnd of course assessment

100 question written exam (150 minutes) and individual applied task (150 minutes).100 question written exam (150 minutes) and individual applied task (150 minutes).100 question written exam (150 minutes) and individual applied task (150 minutes).

Passing criteriaPassing criteriaPassing criteria

75% written and 70% applied, passed separately; full attendance. All mandatory criteria must pass.75% written and 70% applied, passed separately; full attendance. All mandatory criteria must pass.75% written and 70% applied, passed separately; full attendance. All mandatory criteria must pass.