Writing procedures in first person or third person?

[eboelen]

The procedures I wrote for my company in 2016 are written in the first person, e.g. "We control our suppliers...".
I never noticed this myself, not did any auditor ever comment about it. Now I am helping another company to build their QMS and writing their procedures and upon review, the CEO tells me that it would be best written (more formally) in the 3rd person, e.g. "The company controls its suppliers..." or "Suppliers are being controlled...".
However, I feel that using the 1st person makes the system more relatable and engages employees; "We do it this way", instead of "The company does it this way", which creates some kind of distance in a way.
Would be interesting to get your opinions! Do you use the 1st or 3rd person in documenting your procedures? What do you think about using the 1st person?

 

[GStough]

Many years ago when I started my career in my current industry (medical devices), I was taught that writing procedures and work instructions was best written in first-person present tense because it indicated ownership of that process. It still grates on my nerves to read procedures written in any-person future tense.

 

[Randy]

It still grates on my nerves to read procedures written in any-person future tense

Yep, when they say "We will" my audit trail is opened, made wide and laid straight.

 

[Ed Panek]

We have a heading in the SOP called "responsible persons" that defines who will execute the function by title in the company. The text thereafter is written to "Those responsible persons" The text is written describing the process. We rarely say "We will do this or that' But rather "This and that are done"

 

[LUFAN]

'We will' anything pretty much tells you have not

 

[eboelen]

Hahaha! Allow me to clarify that I use 1st person present tense, not future tense. I try to avoid the word "will"!

 

[Michael_M]

Now I am helping another company to build their QMS and writing their procedures and upon review, the CEO tells me that it would be best written (more formally) in the 3rd person, e.g. "The company controls its suppliers..." or "Suppliers are being controlled...".

In my opinion, you can explain your position and reason, however, the CEO is the one who has to be allowed to make the ultimate decision. It is the companies management system and the CEO (or someone they direct) will take ultimate responsibility so it needs to be comfortable to them so long as it meets the requirements.

 

[Jim Wynne]

I'm seeing no substantive distinction between "we" and "the company" for the purposes in question. Use of first-person doesn't mean that an actual person must be involved. It's a type of synecdoche. The important distinction is use of the active voice rather than the passive--tell what's done, rather than what shall be done.

 

[Miner]

I'm seeing no substantive distinction between "we" and "the company" for the purposes in question. Use of first-person doesn't mean that an actual person must be involved. It's a type of synecdoche. The important distinction is use of the active voice rather than the passive--tell what's done, rather than what shall be done.

Jim Wynne, King of the obscure terms!

 

[Jim Wynne]

Jim Wynne, King of the obscure terms!

I could have said that "synecdoche" is a form of metonymy but I resisted the temptation.