Re: Management Involvement / Commitment - CEO involvement in the certification proces
Much as I hate to strike a discordant note ...
Hello,
My company is going for its first certification. We're about a year into the process. All top management has been involved in the implementation of the QMS, with one notable exception - the CEO.
The CEO is more focused on sales and growing the business. He travels frequently, and doesn't attend the meetings where we discuss our QMS. I wouldn't be surprised if he isn't up-to-speed with the KPI's that we've come up with for our service, and that concerns me some - not because I think he really needs to know - but more because I'm afraid the auditor might corner him and start asking him questions about our QMS.
Firstly there is nothing wrong with your CEO trying to grow the business. When I last looked I think that is still in compliance with ISO 9001 requirements.
If I were you I would ask him. If your KPIs are selected to reflect genuine issues then he should be interested and should be happy to endorse them and to speak to an auditor about them.
Secondly the auditor should be requiring a meeting with the CEO in the audit agenda. IF they don't then they are not doing a proper job. But they are not there to ask about document control and records but about leadership and planning.
So my question boils down to - if all but one member (the CEO) of a company's top management is up-to-speed with the QMS, can the company still be in comliance with clause 5.1 (the management commitment clause)? Even if he doesn't attend any management review meetings? Or would the CEO's relative detachment from the nitty gritty details of the QMS amount to a nonconformity to clause 5.1?
I would welcome your opinions. Thank you.
FrameReader
So in answer to your question if the CEO is not engaged in leadership and planning for quality (the bits in clause 5.1) then there should be a nonconformity against requirements dotted throughout clause 5 - Management commitment. However just because you don't see him all over the system don't assume he doesn't know and support what is going on - ask him in advance of the audit. If you ask him in the right way you may even prepare him for the 3rd party audit.
If your managers and executives do your bit sensibly and the CEO lets you do it, then there is the CEO commitment.
Agreed. From the information presented I would say the jury is still out. FrameReader has a concern and I share it. The only way of assessing whether the commitment exists is to ask the top man (in this case). For any initial assessment I have done for 9001 the first appointment after the opening meeting is with the senior person on site. That sets the scene for the audit and gives leads to follow.
Management review is the requirement and "meeting" is your way of doing the review. So even if he is not in your meeting but he has the communications of the records and does not stop you with what you plan and intend to do, there is all the management involvement / commitment.
Management reviewis at the end of system implementation so Management commitment is written through all of clause 5 with top management involvement in planning and communicating system requirements.
Then, again through review, top managers look back over the system they planned and see that it is working as intended.
I am sure the next line managers to the CEO have the due authority and responsibility to implement and maintain the QMS.
As above the CEO should always be part of the assessment and their leads followed through lower tiers of managers.
How will the auditor corner him if he is still away on travel ...
Do not worry on that. Auditors purpose is something more than what you envisage. They will look at demonstration of the management commitment at various levels which I guess you have it all ~~~
One measure of commitment will be for the CEO to be available for an initial assessment. We can assume there is evidence at other levels but don't forget all section 5 refers to what 'top management' shall do
Do not be disheartened over CEO absence during meetings. He has bigger activities to pursie and that might be keeping him busy. The very fact, all the others in the Management are so active is an indication that there is "CEO Blessings".
You are 100 % compliant with Clause 5.1 and pursue your goal
As above I agree the CEO has a lot of other things to do. I could argue that there is nothing bigger (over a long period of time) than the management system and satisfying customers but will leave that to another thread.
But again - on the information presented - I do not believe the company meets the requirements of clause 5 - but the answer is easily found by asking the CEO.