How to Read a Factory Audit Report
Last updated: 2026-08-31
Quick answer
Read a factory audit report in three passes: first the major and critical findings, then the evidence behind each, then the score. A high average score can still hide one critical item that should stop the order.
Definition
A factory audit report records what an auditor observed on site against a checklist: legal status, facility, quality system, labour, safety and environment, each with a finding and usually a severity grade. The report is a record of conditions, not a pass or fail certificate.
Key points
- · Severity beats score: one critical finding outweighs a clean average.
- · Read the evidence photos and document references, not just the summary.
- · Check the audit date and whether the site visited is the one that will make your product.
- · Distinguish a systemic failure from a one-off slip; the fix differs.
- · A report describes a moment in time; re-audit after major corrective actions.
Step by step
- 1. Open with the summary of findings
Scan the count of critical, major, minor and pass items. This frames everything else.
- 2. Read every critical and major item
For each, read the observation, the standard breached, and the evidence. Judge whether it is systemic or isolated.
- 3. Verify the site and date
Confirm the audited entity, address and date match the supplier you intend to use and the current period.
- 4. Map findings to action
Decide per finding: accept, require correction with proof, or stop the order. Set deadlines for corrections.
Examples
A report scored well overall but flagged undisclosed subcontracting; the buyer required the subcontractor to be added to the audit before shipment.
Several minor documentation gaps with no critical items; the buyer accepted the order with a pre-shipment inspection to confirm correction.
Checklist
- ☐ Critical and major findings read in full
- ☐ Evidence photos and document refs checked
- ☐ Audited entity matches the contract
- ☐ Audit date is current
- ☐ Systemic vs isolated judged per item
- ☐ Corrective actions and deadlines recorded
Frequently asked questions
Does a good score mean the factory is safe to use?
Not alone. A good average can sit on top of one critical item such as child labour or a fake certificate. Always read the findings before the score.
Who wrote the report?
An independent auditor engaged for the audit. Scheme-approved firms such as SGS, Intertek, BV and TUV issue the underlying report; this platform verifies and, on request, audits.
How fresh must the report be?
Use a report from the last 12 months as a baseline; require a fresh audit after any major change or a critical finding.
Sources
- ISO 19011 auditing principlesHow audit findings and evidence should be recorded.
- SA8000 and ETI Base CodeThe standards most social findings reference.
- FactoryAuditB2B audit report analyzerA tool that structures a pasted report into severity-graded findings.
Related guides
Have a supplier already?
Send us the company name and address. We will tell you what we can confirm, what we cannot, and what it costs.