What is ISO 9001 standard
The ISO 9001 standard offers a quality management system (QMS) model for obtaining and meeting customer requirements and enhancing its satisfaction. It is general and appropriate for all types of organisations. Therefore, businesses from both the public and private sectors, including non-governmental organisations can benefit from the ISO 9001 quality management system model; despite being small, medium or large companies. The instant benefit that can be realised from the implementation of ISO 9001 is the combined alignment of the activities of internal processes that are focused towards the improvement of customer satisfaction which will result in many other reimbursements, whether internal or external. The magnitude of these benefits is determined by how effective the processes are in achieving these targets.
Principles of ISO 9011
The new standard is process model based and has been developed using a core set of eight quality management principles defined in ISO 9001:2008, Quality Management Systems Fundamentals and Vocabulary, and in ISO 9004:2000, Quality Management Systems Guidelines for Performance Improvements. They are:
- Customer focus: An organisation depends on its customers and should therefore understand current and future customer needs, meet customer requirements and strive to exceed customer expectations.
- Leadership: Leaders establish unity of purpose and direction of an organisation. They should create and maintain the internal environment in which people can become fully involved in achieving an organisation’s objectives.
- Involvement: People at all levels are the essence of an organisation and their full involvement enable their abilities to be used for the organisation’s benefit.
- Process approach: A desired result is achieved more efficiently when related resources and activities are managed as a process.
- System approach to management: Identifying, understanding and managing a system of interrelated processes as a system contribute to an organisation’s effectiveness and efficiency in achieving its objectives.
- Continual improvement: Continual improvement of an organisation’s overall performance should be a permanent objective of the organisation.
- Factual approach to decision making: Effective decisions are based on the analysis of data and information.
- Mutually beneficial supplier relationships: An organisation and its suppliers are interdependent and a mutually beneficial relationship enhances the ability of both to create value.
Benefits of ISO 9001 standard
- Improve business performance and enhance business competence
- Attract investment and improve brand reputation
- Encourage internal communication and raise morale
- Increase customer satisfaction
- Strengthen effectiveness and efficiency
- Enhance internal effectiveness and improve productivity performance through elimination of unnecessary costs
It has been announced that the revised ISO 9001 standard will be published in the autumn of 2015. A transition period will be set (probably 2 – 3yrs). We can provide you with guidelines and training to help you make this transition as smooth as possible. DEV will keep you informed as things progress. We are unable to provide any direct consultancy, although should you require assistance to meet the new requirements we are able to put you in contact with a number of independent consultants that could offer you assistance if required.
