The opening meeting, as defined by ISO 19011, serves to launch the on-site audit activities. Its primary purpose is to confirm that all parties (auditors and auditees) agree on the audit plan, introduce the audit team, clarify roles and responsibilities, confirm communication channels, and provide an opportunity for the auditee to ask questions. This ensures the audit can proceed smoothly and efficiently as planned.

A. Discussing audit findings occurs during the audit and is formally presented at the closing meeting, not the opening one.

B. Establishing the audit criteria is part of the audit planning and preparation phase, which occurs before the opening meeting.

D. Performing a root cause analysis is the responsibility of the auditee in response to identified nonconformities, not a function of the opening meeting.

1. ISO 19011:2018, "Guidelines for auditing management systems," Clause 6.4.3, "Conducting the opening meeting." This clause explicitly states the purpose is to "confirm the agreement of all participants... to the audit plan."

2. The International Register of Certificated Auditors (IRCA), "Auditing Management Systems," Courseware Module 3, which details the audit process and describes the opening meeting's purpose as confirming the plan and logistics.