What is ISO 9001 & why might you need it?
ISO 9001 is the most recognized and accepted Quality Management System (QMS) in the world, owing to its ability to be implemented by any organization, regardless of its size or industry. ISO 9001 demonstrates how an efficient QMS can be established, documented and maintained. ISO 9001 has become an obligatory system for businesses of all kinds to adopt in order for them to prove their compliance with certain managerial quality standards.
ISO 9001 comprises of the following:
- Quality management system
- Management responsibility
- Resource management
- Product/service realization
- Measurement, analysis and improvement
The 8 Quality Principles of ISO 9001:
1. Customer Orientation: Companies are dependent on their customers. Therefore, they need to comprehend the current and future needs of the customer, meet customer requirements and desire to exceed customer expectations.
2. Leadership: Leaders ensure the compatabilityof a company’s goals and management. Leaders should establish and maintain the internal environment in which employees completely participate in achieving the goals of the company.
3. Participation of the Employees: Employees in every level are the core of a company, and their full participation ensures their talents to be used for the benefit of the company.
4. Process Approach: When managed as a process; desired results, activities and related resources are managed more efficiently.
5. System Approach in Management: Defining, understanding and managing the interrelated processes as a system contributes to the productivity of a company in achieving its goals.
6. Continuous Improvement: Continuous improvement of a company’s total performance should be the permanent goal of the company.
7. Realistic Approach in Decision Making: Efficient decisions depend on analysis of data and information.
8. Supplier Relations Based upon Mutual Advantage: A company and a supplier are independent from each other. Their relationship is based upon mutual advantage and their ability to create positive value.
Benefits provided by ISO 9001 standard:
- Increasing quality awareness of the employees
- Increasing the market prestige of the company
- Competitive advantage in the market
- Commercial advantages created by owning an internationally valid quality certification
- Increasing customer satisfaction and loyalty
- Decreasing failure rates, losses and reprocessing
- Better and more efficient input, production and final control performance
- Creating convenience in the selection, evaluation and tracking of the suppliers
- Creating convenience in the determination and distribution of managerial duties and the responsibilities of other employees
- Establishing documentation for the standardization of operating activities
- Establishing infrastructure that enables orderly archiving of company records
- Carrying out status analysis in accordance with the data and statistical measurements and using the results of the analysis at prudential decisions
- Taking an important step on the way to institutionalization
How can you apply or learn more?
To apply or request more information about ISO 9001 certification you can contact one of our specialists directly via the contact form below.