ISO 9001:2015 QMS
WHAT IS A MANAGEMENT SYSTEM?
A management system is the way in which an organization manages the interrelated parts of its business to achieve its objectives or business objectives. These objectives can relate to a number of different topics, including product or service quality, operational efficiency, environmental performance, health, and safety in the workplace and many more.
The level of complexity of the system will depend on each organization’s specific context. For some organizations, especially smaller ones, it may simply mean having strong leadership from the business owner, providing a clear definition of what is expected from each individual employee and how they contribute to the organization’s overall objectives, without the need for extensive documentation. More complex businesses operating, for example, in highly regulated sectors, may need extensive documentation and controls to fulfill their legal obligations and meet their organizational objectives.
WHY ISO 9001?
ISO 9001 sets out the criteria for a quality management system and is the only standard in the family that can be certified to (although this is not a requirement). It can be used by any organization, large or small, regardless of its field of activity. In fact, there are over one million companies and organizations in over 170 countries certified to ISO 9001.
This standard is based on several quality management principles including a strong customer focus, the motivation and implication of top management, the process approach, risk-based thinking, and continual improvement. ISO 9001 Standard requires identification of processes within the organizational context. The processes can be identified using the functional groups/departments and then dissecting within each functional group their processes using the workflow. Once the processes have been identified, ISO 9001 Standard requires prioritization of processes using some sort of risk-assessments. Such risk-based approach assists an organization in developing a focus through categorization of risks as high, medium, or low. Using ISO 9001 helps ensure that customers get consistent, good-quality products and services, which in turn brings many business benefits. ISO 9001 can help you save cost or become a lean organization through process improvements based upon risk-based thinking.
Recognized globally, the ISO 9001 management standard will offer organizations a trustworthy framework enabling consistency in OH&S management practices. It aligns with other ISO management standards such as IS0 45001 and ISO 14001, and can contribute to an organization’s development of a coherent set of management practices across all facets of its operation
WHAT BENEFITS WILL ISO QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM BRING TO MY BUSINESS OR ORGANIZATION?
Implementing a quality management system will help you:
Assess the overall context of your organization to define who is affected by your work and what they expect from you. This will enable you to clearly state your objectives and identify new business opportunities.
- Put your customers first, making sure you consistently meet their needs and enhance their satisfaction. This can lead to more repeat custom, new clients, and increased business for your organization.
- Work in a more efficient way as all your processes will be aligned and understood by everyone in the business or organization. This increases productivity and efficiency, bringing internal costs down.
- Meet the necessary statutory and regulatory requirements.
- Expand into new markets, as some sectors and clients require ISO 9001 before doing business.
- Identify and address the risks associated with your organization
