Security Audits (2013) provides a simple guide which can be used to examine the security management system of an organisation.

A security management system (SMS) audit is an evidence-based review of the system’s structure and functions and a test of the system’s purpose. Auditing provides managers and their staff with essential information from which to identify system strengths and weaknesses, allowing resources to be focused where most needed.

This guide is designed for use by any staff member, including non-security specialists, and can be applied to the organisation as a whole, to HQ, or to a country office. This Guide was written by Christopher Finucane, based on a methodology he developed and has successfully applied when conducting security audits of different NGOs.The project was co-funded by the Norwegian Refugee Council, in the interests of contributing a valuable resource to the sector.

The associated tools can be downloaded in editable format following the links below:

Tool 1 System reference
Tool 2 Document register template
Tool 3 Document review checklist
Tool 4 Developing interview questions
Tool 5 Online survey question example
Tool 6 SMS Audit worksheet template

Organisations are free to use or adapt these tools provided that GISF and Humanitarian Policy are acknowledged as the original source.