Quality management system ISO 9001
ISO 9001 principles and benefits
ISO 9001 is a globally recognized standard for quality management systems. It is designed to help organizations of all sizes and industries to improve their processes, products, and services, and to enhance customer satisfaction. The standard is developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and is used by over one million organizations in more than 170 countries. So let’s take a closer look at this worldwide implemented quality management system. In this blog, we answer the following questions:
- What are the principles of ISO 9001?
- Is an ISO 9001 certificate mandatory?
- How does my company become ISO 9001 certified?
Quality management system ISO 9001; 10 chapters
ISO 9001
sets out the requirements for a quality
management system,
including the processes, procedures, and policies that organizations need to implement to ensure that they meet their customers' needs and expectations. The standard is structured around ten chapters, each of which covers a specific area of quality management. They provide a framework for effective quality management and can help organizations to improve their overall performance. The ten chapters are:
1. Scope: This chapter defines the scope of the quality management system and the requirements that apply to the organization.
2. Normative References: This chapter identifies any standards or regulations that the organization must comply with in its quality management system.
3. Terms and Definitions: This chapter provides definitions of key terms used in the standard.
4. Context of the Organization:This chapter requires the organization to understand its internal and external context, including its stakeholders and the environment in which it operates.
5. Leadership: This chapter requires top management to demonstrate leadership and commitment to the quality management system.
6. Planning: This chapter requires the organization to plan its quality management system, including setting quality objectives and identifying the resources required.
7. Support: This chapter requires the organization to provide the resources, infrastructure, and support necessary to implement and maintain the quality management system.
8. Operation:This chapter covers the processes involved in delivering products and services, including product design, production, and delivery.
9. Performance Evaluation: This chapter requires the organization to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of its quality management system.
10. Improvement: This chapter requires the organization to continually improve its quality management system, based on the results of its monitoring and evaluation activities.
Should I get my company ISO 9001 certified?
ISO 9001 is not mandatory, but it is often required by customers, regulatory agencies, and other stakeholders. In some industries, companies require their suppliers to be ISO 9001 certified in order to do business with them.
Apart from its importance to your stakeholders, implementing ISO 9001 can provide a range of benefits to an organization. These benefits include improved efficiency and effectiveness, increased customer satisfaction, reduced waste and errors, and enhanced reputation and marketability. Certification to ISO 9001 can also help organizations to demonstrate their commitment to quality and to meet customer and regulatory requirements.
Becoming ISO 9001 certified
To become certified to ISO 9001, an organization must undergo a formal audit by a third-party certification body like DEKRA. The audit assesses the organization's compliance with the standard and evaluates the effectiveness of its quality management system. If the organization meets the requirements of the standard, it is awarded a certificate of compliance.