ISO-22301-Lead-Auditor Exam Information and Guideline
PECB Certified ISO 22301 Lead Auditor - 2025
Below are complete topics detail with latest syllabus and course outline, that will help you good knowledge about exam objectives and topics that you have to prepare. These contents are covered in questions and answers pool of exam.
Exam Specification: ISO-22301-Lead-Auditor (PECB Certified ISO 22301 Lead Auditor)
Exam Name: ISO-22301-Lead-Auditor (PECB Certified ISO 22301 Lead Auditor)
Exam Code: ISO-22301-Lead-Auditor
Exam Duration: 3 hours
Passing Score: Not specified
Exam Format: Multiple-choice
Course Outline:
1. Introduction to Business Continuity Management System (BCMS)
- Understanding the concepts and principles of business continuity management
- Overview of ISO 22301 and its requirements
- Roles and responsibilities of a BCMS lead auditor
2. Planning and Initiating an ISO 22301 Audit
- Establishing the audit objectives, scope, and criteria
- Developing an audit plan and schedule
- Conducting the opening meeting with auditees
3. Conducting an ISO 22301 Audit
- Gathering and evaluating audit evidence
- Interviewing auditees and conducting site visits
- Documenting audit findings and observations
4. Audit Reporting and Communication
- Preparing and issuing an audit report
- Communicating audit findings to relevant stakeholders
- Addressing corrective actions and follow-up activities
5. Audit Follow-up and Closure
- Evaluating the effectiveness of corrective actions
- Verifying compliance with ISO 22301 requirements
- Finalizing the audit and preparing for closure
Exam Objectives:
1. Understand the principles and concepts of business continuity management.
2. Familiarize oneself with the ISO 22301 standard and its requirements.
3. Plan and initiate an ISO 22301 audit effectively.
4. Conduct an ISO 22301 audit, including gathering and evaluating audit evidence.
5. Report audit findings and communicate them to relevant stakeholders.
6. Follow up on audit findings and verify the effectiveness of corrective actions.
7. Close the audit process and ensure compliance with ISO 22301 requirements.
Exam Syllabus:
Section 1: Introduction to Business Continuity Management System (10%)
- Business continuity management concepts and principles
- Overview of ISO 22301 and its requirements
- Role of a BCMS lead auditor
Section 2: Planning and Initiating an ISO 22301 Audit (20%)
- Audit objectives, scope, and criteria
- Development of an audit plan and schedule
- Conducting the opening meeting with auditees
Section 3: Conducting an ISO 22301 Audit (40%)
- Gathering and evaluating audit evidence
- Interviewing auditees and conducting site visits
- Documentation of audit findings and observations
Section 4: Audit Reporting and Communication (15%)
- Preparation and issuance of an audit report
- Communication of audit findings to stakeholders
- Addressing corrective actions and follow-up activities
Section 5: Audit Follow-up and Closure (15%)
- Evaluation of corrective actions' effectiveness
- Verification of compliance with ISO 22301 requirements
- Finalization of the audit and closure
Complete Exam Contents
----------------------
Domain 1: Fundamental principles and concepts of a business continuity management system
- management system
- business continuity management system
- integrated management system
- applicability of ISO 22301
- relationship between ISO 22301 and other standards
- advantages of a BCMS based on ISO 22301
- certification process and the roles and responsibilities of the parties involved in the certification scheme
- terms and definitions related to business continuity
- differences between business continuity and disaster recovery
- business impact analysis
Domain 2: Business continuity management system requirements
- PDCA cycle
- requirements of ISO 22301 regarding the context of the organization
- requirements of ISO 22301 regarding the leadership and commitment of the top management regarding the BCMS
- ISO 22301 requirements regarding the planning for a BCMS
- ISO 22301 requirements regarding the support required for a BCMS
- ISO 22301 requirements regarding the operation of a BCMS
- ISO 22301 requirements regarding the evaluation of the performance of a BCMS
- ISO 22301 requirements regarding the improvement of a BCMS
Domain 3: Fundamental audit concepts and principles
- interpret the definition of an audit
- differentiate between first, second, and third party audits
- differentiate between the audit client, auditee, audit team, and auditor
- differentiate between the technical expert, guide, and observer
- explain and apply audit principles in a BCMS audit
- discuss the required competence that auditors need for an audit
- explain the responsibilities and competencies of the audit team leader
- interpret the impact of trends and technology, such as big data and artificial intelligence in auditing
- distinguish between different types of audit evidence
- determine the reliability of audit evidence
Domain 4: Preparing an ISO 22301 audit
- risk-based approach during the different stages of a BCMS audit
- The level of materiality of processes during the different stages of a BCMS audit
- obtain the appropriate level of reasonable assurance needed for a BCMS audit
- components of the audit offer
- roles and responsibilities of the audit team leader, audit team members, and technical experts
- determine the audit feasibility
- audit objectives, criteria, and scope for a BCMS audit
- establishing initial contact with an auditee
- audit schedule
Domain 5: Conducting an ISO 22301 audit
- discuss the objectives of the stage 1 audit
- undertake the activities of the stage 1 audit
- document the stage 1 audit outputs
- discuss the objectives of the stage 2 audit
- prepare for the stage 2 audit
- assigning work to the audit team
- preparing audit test plans
- preparing the documented information for the stage 2 audit
- conduct the stage 2 audit activities
- evidence collection procedures and tools
- describe and apply the main audit sampling methods
- differentiate between the types of audit findings
- develop a nonconformity report
- explain and apply the concept of the benefit of the doubt
- conduct quality reviews to audit records
Domain 6: Closing an ISO 22301 audit
- draft audit conclusions and discuss them with the auditee
- organize and conduct a closing meeting
- develop the audit report
- conduct the activities following an initial audit
- evaluation of action plans
- audit follow-up activities
- surveillance activities
- plan and conduct re-certification audits
Domain 7: Managing an ISO 22301 audit program
- explain and establish an audit program based on the PDCA cycle
- differentiate between internal and external audits
- discuss the role of the internal audit function within an organization
- identify and undertake the main internal audit activities
- identify and manage audit program resources
- manage and maintain audit program records
- follow up on non-conformities
- monitor, evaluate, review, and improve an audit program