ISO 9001
ISO 9001 is a quality management system standard that was first published in 1987 by the International Organization for Standardization. The latest version of ISO 9001 was released in 2015. The ISO 9001 standard is designed to help organisations improve the quality of their products and services. The standard is based on a number of quality management principles, including a strong focus on customer needs and on continuous improvement.
ISO 9001 is a voluntary standard, meaning that organisations are not required to implement it. However, many organisations choose to do so in order to demonstrate their commitment to quality. In order to be certified to ISO 9001, organisations must go through a rigorous auditing process. Once certified, organisations must maintain their compliance with the standard in order to keep their certification.
ISO 9001 certification can be beneficial for organisations in a number of ways. For example, certification can help to build customer confidence and improve efficiency. In addition, ISO 9001 certified organisations are often able to access new markets and business opportunities.
What are the 7 principles of ISO 9001?
The 7 principles of ISO 9001 are:
- Customer focus
- Leadership
- Engagement of people
- Process approach
- Improvement
- Evidence-based decision making
- Relationship management
Customer focus: The organisation needs to have a clear understanding of who their customers are and what their needs and expectations are. They need to be constantly striving to meet or exceed customer requirements.
Leadership: The leaders of the organisation need to provide direction, motivate and empower employees, and create a culture of continuous improvement.
Engagement of people: Employees need to be involved in the quality management process and be empowered to make decisions and take actions to improve quality.
Process approach: The organisation needs to manage its processes in a systematic and controlled way to ensure they are effective and efficient.
Improvement: The organisation needs to constantly strive to improve its performance by setting goals and measuring progress.
Evidence-based decision making: The organisation needs to base its decisions on data and facts, not opinions or assumptions.
Relationship management: The organisation needs to manage its relationships with its suppliers, customers, and other stakeholders in a positive.