Corrective action: definition (ISO/UNDP 53001)
A corrective action (French: action corrective) removes the cause of a nonconformity so that it does not happen again or appear elsewhere. Under ISO 53001 it involves an analysis of root causes, a response proportionate to the effects of the problem and a later check that the action actually worked.
Updated: · edition covered: ISO/UNDP 53001:2026
In an ISO/UNDP 53001 audit
The auditor judges the quality of the cause analysis first. Blaming every problem on human error, without asking why the error was possible, rarely convinces. The auditor then confirms that the action addresses the cause identified, that it has been carried out, and that its effectiveness was evaluated after enough time had passed to see a result.
After a certification audit, the organisation submits a corrective action plan. For a minor nonconformity the certification body accepts the plan and checks its effects at a later visit; for a major one, verification comes before any decision. The topic belongs to clause 10 of the ISO/UNDP 53001 standard.
Judging whether it worked
Effectiveness is judged on facts: the nonconformity has not recurred, the indicator concerned is back under control, the process now produces the expected record. Closing an action simply because it was carried out, without that check, is itself a common finding.
See also
- Correction: definition (ISO/UNDP 53001)A correction (French: *correction*) is an immediate action taken to eliminate a detected nonconformity or its effects, without tackling its cause.
- Nonconformity: definition (ISO/UNDP 53001)A nonconformity (French: *non-conformité*) is the non-fulfilment of a requirement.
- Continual improvement: definition (ISO/UNDP 53001)Continual improvement (French: *amélioration continue*) is the recurring activity through which an organisation strengthens its performance and the relevance of its management system.
- Minor nonconformity: definition (ISO/UNDP 53001)A minor nonconformity (French: *non-conformité mineure*) is a genuine deviation from an ISO 53001 requirement that does not, on its own, undermine the ability of the SDG management system to achieve its results.
- ISO/UNDP 53001 clause 10: what the auditor checksISO 53001 clause 10 covers improvement.