ISO9001:2015

What is an ISO 9001:2015 quality management system?

Supporting an organization’s aims and objectives, a quality management system (QMS) documents the processes, procedures, and responsibilities for achieving quality policies and objectives. Based on seven quality management principles, the ISO 9001:2015 certification defines the way an organization operates to meet the requirements of its customers and stakeholders:

Customer focus
Leadership
Engagement of people
Process approach
Improvement
Evidence-based decision-making
Relationship management

ISO 9001:2015 can be applied to any organization, whatever its type, size or sector.

ISO 9001 certification will help your organization to develop and improve performance, as well as demonstrate high levels of service quality when bidding for contracts.

Implementing a QMS helps an organization to effectively identify customers and stakeholders (those who are affected by your activity, but not necessarily customers). This outward looking approach enables an organization to better meet the needs of these two groups, to improve processes, policies and the allocation of responsibilities to improve customer satisfaction.

Identify both external and internal issues. The new ISO 9001 standard now requires organizations to identify all issues both within and outside the organization that are relevant to its context and that can help to achieve the intended outcomes of its management system

Greater emphasis on leadership than management. ISO 9001:2015 certification requires management to have direct involvement and ownership of the process and to ensure that the QMS is achieving its intended results and drive continual improvement within the organization

Focus on organizational planning. This is a new requirement which obliges organizations to identify those risks and opportunities that have the potential to impact (negatively or positively) on the operation and performance of their QMS

Evaluation of resources. Organizations need to take into account both internal and external resource requirements and capabilities to implement, maintain and improve its QMS

Open-communication with customers. There is now a requirement that these processes must include, where relevant, communicating with customers in relation to the handling or treatment of customer property and specific requirements for contingency actions

Identifies the ‘what’ ‘how’ and ‘when’ of the monitoring and measurement. ISO 9001:2015 certification now requires organizations to monitor information relating to the degree to which their needs and expectations have been fulfilled

Improvement. An additional requirement for organizations to address is the ‘consequences’ of nonconformities, which is recognition that not all of its processes and/or activities will represent the same level of risk in terms of the organization’s ability to meet its objectives

Implementing an ISO 9001:2015 quality management system will enable your organization to:

Operate more efficiently

Meet statutory and regulatory requirements

Reach new markets

Identify and address risks