Introduction to the ISO 9001 Auditing Practices Group Feedback from users will be used by the ISO 9001 Auditing Practices Group to determine whether additional guidance documents should be developed, or if these current ones should be revised. Comments on the papers or presentations can be sent to the following email address. Background What is ISO 9001? International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 9001 An internationally recognized quality management standard Certification is a coveted recognition for quality management Dallas is the first major city in the United States to achieve ISO 9001 certification for an entire city department. The management review is an activity usually performed as a meeting where representatives of the top management are presented with data and information regarding the performances of the QMS. The objective of the review is to give the top management a chance to periodically evaluate the QMS. Let us review the ISO 9001 Standard requirements.
What Is An ISO Quality Policy?
Top Management is responsible for establishing, reviewing and maintaining the ISO quality policy and quality objectives. The quality policy should build on corporate objectives and values and be appropriate to the purpose and context of the organization. The policy should demonstrate a commitment to continual improvement. The quality policy must be communicated, understood and applied throughout the organization.
Contents
- Quality Policy & Quality Objectives Template [ISO 9001]
What is a Quality Policy and Why is it Important?
Ensure you have a well written quality policy statement.
The quality policy is often know by other names such as:
- Mission statement
- Vision
- Strategic concept
- Charter
- Statement of principles
A well written quality policy statement will ensure your employees understand their job affects product quality and quality control, and therefore the success of the company.
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Employees must be made aware that their individual contribution is important to the company’s overall success and commitment to quality.
| ISO 9001:2015 | ISO 9001:2008 | Summary of Changes | ||
| 5.2 | Quality Policy | 5.3 | Quality Policy | Includes an additional requirement to make the policy available to interested parties and being available as documented information. |
| 5.2.1 | Establishing the Quality Policy | 5.3 | Quality Policy | |
| 5.2.2 | Communicating the Quality Policy | 5.5.3 | Internal Communication | |
How do you Write a Quality Policy?
Align the Quality Policy with Strategy
ISO 9001:2015 now requires your organization’s quality policy and resulting objectives to be appropriate to your organization’s strategic direction and operational direction (context). This means that once your organization has determined its context and the relevant requirements of its interested parties, Top Management must review the quality policy and objectives, in light of this new information, to ensure continued relevance.
Your organization will need to understand and identify all the influences that affect its business and ensure that the strategy and direction takes this into consideration. Your organization will need to review its current quality policy as necessary to ensure that any changes in context, interested parties or their requirements is reflected in the policy, and to determine whether your organization’s objectives are affected (Refer to ISO 9001:2015 - 6.2.1a).
Please find below a number of quality policy statement examples.
Quality Policy Statement (example 1)
Company XYZ provides quality management, co-ordination, production and processing, manufacture and installation services throughout the UK and sometimes abroad. The Company has developed its expertise since its establishment and its aim is to achieve a high standard of construction and service to its customers.
It is the policy of Company XYZ to provide the customer with goods and services to the agreed requirement in accordance with the details and price.
The Directors, Management and Staff are responsible for Quality Control through the Quality Management System seeking improvement by constant review, with suppliers and sub-contractors being encouraged to co-operate. The Company is committed to achieving customer satisfaction by the use of quality procedures which will be operated to meet or exceed the requirements of ISO 9001.
5.2.1 Establishing the Quality Policy
This requirements for quality policies is comparable to the requirements of ISO 9001:2008 Clause 5.3 – Quality Policy. You should check that there is evidence that Top Management have participated in the creation of the quality policy, and are reviewing and maintaining it.
The standard requires you should review the quality policy to determine whether the quality policy is appropriate to the context of the organization and its purpose (and set quality objectives), that there is a commitment to continually improving the QMS, and the quality objectives are consistent with the quality policy. Top Management should demonstrate that the quality management statement is compatible with the strategic direction and context of the organization, as required by Clause 5.1.1b.
Top Management must ensure their commitment to quality and that the quality policy:
- Is appropriate to the organization and ISO implementation
- Includes a commitment to requirements and continual improvement
- Provides a basis for establishing and quality objectives
- Is communicated and understood within the organization (staff training)
- Is periodically reviewed for suitability
Go for something short, sweet and memorable.
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If the quality policy is simply written to satisfy the requirements of ISO 9001:2015 or ISO implementation projects then it might be worthless. You should keep it simple and keep it relevant to your organization. Make it meaningful to the people in your organization.
The quality policy should act as a driver for continual improvement. You will be required to ensure that you continually improve the degree to which the organization’s products and services meet customer requirements and to measure effectiveness of the processes responsible.
To this end the continual improvement principle implies that you should adopt the attitude that improvement is always possible and that organizations should develop the skills and tools (policies and procedures) necessary to drive improvement, exceed customer requirements and deliver quality products.
Quality Policy Example 2
Our Quality Policy is defined and strongly driven by the following management principles and behaviors:
• Build a mutually profitable relationship with our customers, ensuring their long-term success, through the understanding of their needs and the needs of their customers as well
• Achieve our commitments for quality, cost, and schedule
• Enhance the systematic research and use of best preventive practices at all levels and ensure reliable risk management
• Drive continual improvement and innovation based upon efficient business processes, well-defined measurements, best practices, and customer surveys
• Develop staff competencies, creativity, empowerment and accountability
through appropriate development programs and show strong management involvement and commitment
Company XYZ strives to be the best provider of inspection services in the industry. Through the use of these guiding principles, everyone in Company XYZ is accountable for fully satisfying our customers by meeting or exceeding their needs and expectations with best-in-class solutions and services. Our goal is 100% customer satisfaction 100% of the time.
Quality Policy Sample 3
The company believes that its market expects a continually improving service. We aim to continually improve the service we provide to meet our clients requirements and to produce finished work that we can justifiably be proud of.
The company aims to achieve the above by implementing a management system that complies with the international standard of good practice BS EN ISO 9001. It also includes a commitment to meet the requirements of our clients, learn from customers feedback, as well as legal and regulatory requirements. Also to continual development of the system and helping to ensure it remains effective.
Only by providing an outstanding service and product quality will we achieve our aims of long term success and sustained improvements.
All personnel within the company are responsible for the quality of their work. The company provides training and has established systems to assist all personnel to achieve the standards required. While we endeavour to produce work and offer a service that we can be proud of, we have to recognize that we don’t always achieve our own standards. When a customer complains, we are committed to investigating the complaint and will do our best to put right all justified complaints.
The policy, organization and procedures necessary to achieve the required standards are described in our Quality Management System.
The Quality Manager is responsible for monitoring the quality system and reports regularly to the Managing Director on the system's implementation, status and effectiveness.
The objectives of this company are set out in the Business Plan. Objectives for individual jobs are to carry out he works to the satisfaction of the client and in accordance with the contract as agreed with the client.
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Iso 9001 Management Review Template
5.2.2 Communicating the Quality Policy
This is a new requirement for ISO standards. ISO 9001:2015 requires the policy to be maintained as documented information, refer to Clause 7.5.1a. You should check whether the quality policy has been applied throughout the organization and that the quality policy is available to any relevant interested parties.
Remember, Auditors during certification audits will wish to test staff's understanding; so internal communication of the quality policy statement is vital for ISO certification and is understood within an organization.
Your internal auditor should check the policy is communicated and understood during an internal audit. A gap analysis tool or internal audit checklist can help with quality policy and quality.
ISO 9001 Clauses - PLAN
- 2 Normative references
- 4 Context of the organization
- 5 Leadership
- 5.1 Leadership and commitment
- 5.2 Policy
- 6 Planning
How do these get handled? In a single meeting covering both standards?
Assign topic to the user
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ISO 9001 DOCUMENTATION TOOLKIT
Step-by-step implementation for smaller companies.
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ISO 9001 DOCUMENTATION TOOLKIT
Step-by-step implementation for smaller companies.
ISO 9001 DOCUMENTATION TOOLKIT
Step-by-step implementation for smaller companies.
I have no experience of working with IATF 16949 but I have experience of management review meetings for integrated quality and environmental management systems. I recommend you put side by side clause 9.3 of both standards. For example, with a yellow color highlight topics that are specific of ISO 9001, with a green color highlight topics that are specific of IATF 16949, with an orange color highlight topics that are common to both standards. Now, considering your particular organization, draw a logical path to treat each topic from each of the above groups in one or more meetings. When one meeting alone is impossible or ineffective, I recommend one meeting to look into the past performance, context and risks, and another to look into the future and determine objectives and make decisions.
You can find more information about management review in the following links:
- How to make Management Review more useful in the QMS - https://advisera.com/9001academy/blog/2014/01/21/make-management-review-useful-qms/
- How to Make Management Review More Practical - https://advisera.com/9001academy/blog/2013/12/10/make-management-review-practical/
- Free webinar – How to perform management review according to ISO 9001:2015 - https://advisera.com/9001academy/webinar/how-to-perform-management-review-according-to-iso-9001-2015-free-webinar-on-demand/
- ISO 9001 document template: Procedure for Management Review - https://advisera.com/9001academy/documentation/procedure-management-review/
- Enroll for free course - ISO 9001:2015 Foundations Course - https://training.advisera.com/se/iso-14001-internal-auditor-course/o-9001-foundations-course/
- Book - Discover ISO 9001:2015 Through Practical Examples - https://advisera.com/books/discover-iso-9001-2015-through-practical-examples/
Iso 9001 Revision 2015 Management Review Template
Feb 27, 2020