Case study:
Scaling global certification with consistency and control
SEI transformed how it runs global certification audits with GapCross
XX% faster audit completion
XX% reduction in manual effort
XX% faster corrective action closure
The client
The Safety Equipment Institute (SEI)
The Safety Equipment Institute (SEI) is an internationally recognized, accredited certification body focused on advancing safety and reliability in protective equipment worldwide.
Founded: 1981
Headquarters: West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania
Business: Certifies 1,700+ safety and protective products for 130+ manufacturers
Auditors: 10 (and expanding)
Audits: ~500 a year
Countries: 7 (in North America, Europe, and Asia, and expanding)
The challenge
SEI operates a complex global audit network, spanning multiple auditors, regions, and certification programs—all of which demand strict consistency, traceability, and control.
Ensuring that every auditor applies certification criteria the same way, while capturing complete and defensible audit records, created significant operational complexity. Audit teams needed to document responses, observations, and evidence in real time, track progress across a distributed network, and manage corrective actions efficiently, without compromising the rigor required for accredited certification.
At the same time, SEI needed to securely manage sensitive audit data and intellectual property, while maintaining clear visibility into audit status and outcomes across all programs.
Without a centralized system, this level of coordination required heavy manual effort, constant oversight, and increased risk of inconsistency across audits.
The solution
GapCross became SEI’s system of record for audit execution and certification program control, bringing structure, visibility, and consistency to every audit.
Auditors now operate within a guided workflow that standardizes how audits are performed, captures responses and evidence in real time, and ensures corrective actions are tracked through to closure. At the same time, administrators gain full visibility across all audits, enabling better coordination and oversight across a global network.
From initial scheduling through final review, the entire audit lifecycle is managed within a single platform—eliminating manual handoffs and ensuring every audit is complete, consistent, and audit-ready.
Consistency across every audit
GapCross enforces a standardized audit process across all auditors and programs.
Structured workflows eliminate variability
Conditional logic ensures the right audit path every time
Version control keeps audits aligned to approved criteria
“We’ve removed the guesswork. Every auditor is now working from the same playbook.”
Real-time execution.
No cleanup required.
Auditors capture everything as they go.
Responses, observations, and evidence recorded in real time
Documents and photos tied directly to audit criteria
No post-audit consolidation or rework
Audits move faster, and records are complete the moment the audit ends.
Secure, controlled audit records
Audit data is captured, protected, and managed in one system of record.
Records are locked at completion with full history and traceability
Reports are generated from a single, consistent source of truth
Evidence is securely stored and preserved with each audit
Audit outputs are consistent, defensible, and ready when needed.
Faster corrective action cycles
Nonconformances are handled inside the same workflow.
Issues are logged and assigned immediately
Participants submit responses and evidence directly
Auditors verify and close—all in one place
This tight loop reduces delays and improves accountability.
“We can see exactly where every audit stands without chasing updates. That’s been a game changer.”
Full visibility into global operations
SEI now has a live view of every audit across its global network.
Audit status, milestones, and progress are tracked in real time
Historical audits, findings, and evidence are instantly accessible
Performance can be monitored across auditors and regions
Built for global coordination
Managing a distributed audit team is no longer a bottleneck.
Audits are scheduled with clear timelines and milestones
Backup auditors can step in with full context instantly
All audit history and evidence stays accessible
Work continues without disruption, even when teams change.
Impact
With GapCross, SEI has:
Standardized audit execution across a global network
Increased visibility into every audit in progress
Reduced audit completion time by ~XX%
Cut manual post-audit consolidation by ~XX%
Accelerated corrective action closure by ~XX%
Improved audit data completeness to ~XX%+ at completion
Reduced audit coordination overhead by ~XX%
Summary
GapCross gives SEI a modern audit infrastructure built for consistency, visibility, and scale.
From execution to oversight, every part of the certification process is now faster, more controlled, and easier to manage.
Choose GapCross
GapCross enables certification bodies to manage audits with the consistency, visibility, and control required for accredited programs.
Request a GapCross demo to see how GapCross can support your certification workflows