An audit is stressful enough without the auditor asking where to get a glass of water. Whether it is an ISO certification audit, a client supplier audit or a regulator inspection, the visiting team often spends one to five days on site. How you host them will not change the findings, but it does make the days run more smoothly.
This guide is for quality managers, compliance teams and office managers in the UAE.
Keep it modest
Hospitality for auditors should be professional and modest: water, coffee, tea, a simple lunch and a quiet working room. Anything that looks like a gift can create a problem for both sides. Check your company's gifts and hospitality policy, and the auditor's own rules, before the visit.
The audit room
Give the audit team a room of their own for the whole visit:
- A table with power sockets and good Wi-Fi
- Water on the table, refilled morning and afternoon
- Coffee and tea nearby, or brought in on request
- Pens, notepads, sticky notes and a printer they can use. See stationery and office furniture.
Food and drink plan
Each morning
- Coffee, tea and water when the team arrives
Lunch
- A simple working lunch in the audit room or a meeting room
- Include a vegetarian or plant-based option; see meat alternatives
- Ask about dietary needs in advance
Afternoon
- Water, coffee and a light snack such as fruit, nuts or dates
The board meeting and AGM catering guide covers working lunches in more detail.
The pantry will be seen
Auditors walk the site. In a food, pharma or manufacturing business, the pantry and break areas may be part of the audit itself. Before the visit:
- Clean the pantry and fridge and remove old food. Use the pantry cleaning schedule.
- Check food storage rules and dates. See the food safety rules guide.
- Make sure halal and allergen labels are in place where needed. See the halal compliance guide.
- Keep food out of lab and production areas. The lab break room rules guide explains how.
Who hosts the most audits
- Manufacturers and factories with ISO 9001, 14001 or 45001 certification. See manufacturing and industrial and the manufacturing pantry guide.
- Pharma and life sciences companies with quality and GMP audits. See pharmaceutical and life sciences.
- Fintechs and financial firms with regulator reviews and client due diligence visits. See fintech.
Many of these sites are in JAFZA, Dubai South, Dubai Science Park and Dubai Silicon Oasis.
A one-week checklist
- Confirm audit dates, team size and dietary needs.
- Book the audit room for the full visit.
- Check the gifts and hospitality policy.
- Clean the pantry, fridge and break areas.
- Order water, coffee, snacks and stationery for the visit.
- Arrange lunch for each day.
- Name one person as the host for the audit team.
The short version
- Keep hospitality modest and professional: water, coffee, lunch and a working room.
- Check gifts and hospitality rules on both sides before the visit.
- Clean the pantry and break areas; auditors walk the site.
- Keep food out of labs and production areas.
- Name one host and order everything a week ahead.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hospitality is appropriate for auditors? Water, coffee, tea, a simple working lunch and a quiet room to work in. Avoid anything that could look like a gift, and check both sides' policies first.
Should we provide lunch for an ISO audit team? Many companies provide a simple working lunch on site so the audit day keeps to time. Ask the auditors about dietary needs in advance.
Will auditors look at the office pantry? They may, especially in food, pharma and manufacturing businesses. Clean the pantry and fridge, check dates and keep food out of lab and production areas.
How far ahead should we plan audit hospitality? About one week ahead is enough to confirm numbers, book the room, clean the pantry and order supplies.
Can you deliver supplies for an audit week? Yes. My Healthy Office delivers water, coffee, snacks, stationery and hygiene supplies to offices, labs and industrial sites across Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
