Uncategorized, ISO 9001, Quality Management, Quality Management System, SHEQ, SHEQ Software

ISO 9001 Quality Policy – Your Cornerstone To In ISO 9001

ISO 9001 Quality Policy | SRMC

QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM ISO 9001:2015 CLAUSE 5.2 POLICY

INTRODUCTION – ISO 9001 Quality Policy

When you start building a house, it is essential to get the foundation correct.  If you create a substandard foundation, you will have endless problems.  As a result, you will have walls that are not straight; windows won’t be weatherproof and your roof will leak.

It is precisely the same with your QMS.

Your Quality Policy is the first and crucial document you will design, and Top Management must create, implement and maintain it.  The policy must line up with the objective and environment of the company.  Additionally, you are legally obligated to communicate it to your employees.

WHAT SHOULD YOUR QUALITY POLICY CONSIST OF

It will help if you consider that your Quality Policy is the basis of your ISO 9001: 2015 system.  The document should clearly state the objectives and planned direction of the business so that everyone understands this.  Ensure that it does this, as you base your entire Quality Management System on how good your Quality Policy is.

“The Quality Policy is the foundation of your whole system.  It is what your whole system will be built on”.

For example, the following diagram shows a document structure.  Considering what it says, the Quality Policy forms the base from which you design your system, influencing your objectives.  From this, you will develop your complex procedures, motivating the design of your forms and records.  As a result, it will give you the information to generate your Safe Operating Procedures (SOP’s).  The Quality Policy forms part of all documents in the system.

QMS Document hierarchy

QMS Document hierarchy

WHAT IS AN INFERIOR QUALITY POLICY

Your whole QMS will run the risk of failure if you design a weak Quality Policy.  Businesses will, in time, have a weak functioning system.  If your system is ineffective, it may be that your Quality Policy is:

  • Poorly phrased (too difficult and requiring clearness)
  • A process instead of a policy
  • Not shared with the company
  • There is a lack of responsibility from management

USE SHEQ SOFTWARE

To achieve the perfect Quality Policy, SRM and many of our clients use Mango Compliance Software – www.mangolive.com Mango makes it easier to get ISO 9001:2015 certification.

HOW DOES SRM ACHIEVE THIS

We involved our employees in the creation of the policy.  Their contribution was valuable as we greatly appreciate them, leading our staff to buy into the idea and share our vision.  We found this successful as it encouraged involvement and improved commitment from the employees.  Moreover, if you work for a small business, we urge you to implement the same method.

Once a company designs and implements its Quality Policy, they often forget about it, allowing it to become yellow and old in a cupboard.  Regrettably, this approach happens all the time.  For instance, in a productive relationship, dedication is essential, and the same applies to any policy.  So, if your employees’ enthusiasm is non-existent, the direction of your business will go the same way.

FINALISING YOUR QUALITY POLICY

When your policy is complete, management must inform the staff and make it simple for them to access it.  At Safety Risk Management, we held a meeting with our employees to go over the policy, to confirm their understanding was acceptable.  We uploaded it onto our Mango software compliance system, enabling our staff to get easy access at any time.

IN SUMMARY

  • The policy should not be difficult to read. Straightforward is the safest.
  • Inform your employees, make sure it is understood and implemented into the business.
  • Management should show dedication to the policy and lead by example to the people below them.
  • Every division in the company should come up with ideas and a plan as to how they intend to apply them
  • It would help if you saw dedication throughout all levels of the company
  • Remember: “Out of sight, out of mind. Insight, goldmine”.

SRM is ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015 and ISO 45001:2018 certified. Contact our consultants today. Let us know if we can help you with the development and implementation of your Quality Management System.

Associated Articles:

https://srmc.co.za/iso-9001-clause-4-context-of-the-organisation/

https://srmc.co.za/iso-9001/

 

 

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https://srmc.co.za/services/consulting/

https://srmc.co.za/iso-certifications/