Reworking Objectives to make a Policy meet 9001:2000 requirements

ScottK

Not out of the crisis
Leader
Super Moderator
Here's the quality policy I was saddled with upon joining the company (as some of you konw from past posts I'm not too keen on it, but I'm trying to work with it):

Our Goal is to provide our customers, suppliers and employees true value. We believe this can only be accomplished through a strong commitment to continuous improvement in the quality of our products, services and working environment.

Standing alone it does not meet the requirments of the standard as there's no obvious framework for objectives or clear committment to comply with the requirements.

Objectives in the past have always been written as departmental goals - making it even less of a framework.

however - what I have done is redefined "quality objectives" for the company to tie to the QP. Like so:
Objectives:
We provide true value:
  • To our customers by striving for total customer satisfaction.
  • To our suppliers by working on mutually beneficial partnerships.
  • To our employees by striving to increase the value of their ESOP shares.
  • To all by commitment to maintaining a QMS that complies with ISO9001 and regulatory requirements.
We demonstrate commitment to continuous improvement in the quality of:
  • Our products by monitoring characteristics to eliminate defects and improve function
  • Our services by responding to customer enquiries and issues quickly and completely
  • Our working environment by reducing safety hazards, environmental hazards, and scrap

from these objectives lots of measurables can be determined and translated into goals.

So - by putting these together I think I meet the requirements of the standard.

thoughts?
 
G

Geoff Withnell

I personally like it. You have changed from pure motherhood and apple pie to something that has at least some capability to be measured.

Geoff Withnell
 

Jim Wynne

Leader
Admin
Here's the quality policy I was saddled with upon joining the company (as some of you konw from past posts I'm not too keen on it, but I'm trying to work with it):



Standing alone it does not meet the requirments of the standard as there's no obvious framework for objectives or clear committment to comply with the requirements.

Objectives in the past have always been written as departmental goals - making it even less of a framework.

however - what I have done is redefined "quality objectives" for the company to tie to the QP. Like so:


from these objectives lots of measurables can be determined and translated into goals.

So - by putting these together I think I meet the requirements of the standard.

thoughts?

I think it's definitely better, but a few observations: "true value" sounds too much like a hardware store, and I get an involuntary facial tic when I see any form of the verb "to strive" in QMS documentation. Lots of people who strive don't seem to ever actually get anywhere. And, the "mutually beneficial partnerships" thing has been made more or less meaningless through overuse.
 

ScottK

Not out of the crisis
Leader
Super Moderator
I think it's definitely better, but a few observations: "true value" sounds too much like a hardware store, and I get an involuntary facial tic when I see any form of the verb "to strive" in QMS documentation. Lots of people who strive don't seem to ever actually get anywhere. And, the "mutually beneficial partnerships" thing has been made more or less meaningless through overuse.

Well - I'm stuck with the 'true value' thing. But at least I don't need a picture of John Madden.

I'll think about the word 'strive' and check the thesaurus.

As far as mutually beneficial partnerships - alright smacks of a buzzphrase but I can translate it into measurables and departmental goals.
 

AndyN

Moved On
It's pretty good, but I believe that the (SIO 9001:2000) standard requires you to state a 'commitment to comply with requirements' (which isn't clear to me that your organization would get that from this policy) and to 'continually improve the effectiveness of the quality management system'. At least, that the way I have always read it.........

So it just needs that to be complete, IMHO.
 

Jim Wynne

Leader
Admin
Well - I'm stuck with the 'true value' thing. But at least I don't need a picture of John Madden.

Could you at least drop "true"? Btw, Madden works for Ace, and gets very emotional when someone associates him with True Value:

maddenbx4.jpg


I'll think about the word 'strive' and check the thesaurus.

Don't say what you strive to do; say what you actually do. For example, instead of "To our customers by striving for total customer satisfaction," you could say something like, "...by providing processes that result in customer satisfaction." ("Total" will never happen.)

As far as mutually beneficial partnerships - alright smacks of a buzzphrase but I can translate it into measurables and departmental goals.
I don't see how you can derive anything really objective from it. Why not something about treating suppliers fairly and respectfully? Everyone knows that in order for customer-supplier relationships to be optimized there must be benefit for both sides, but it's how you accomplish it that's important.
 

ScottK

Not out of the crisis
Leader
Super Moderator
It's pretty good, but I believe that the (SIO 9001:2000) standard requires you to state a 'commitment to comply with requirements' (which isn't clear to me that your organization would get that from this policy) and to 'continually improve the effectiveness of the quality management system'. At least, that the way I have always read it.........

So it just needs that to be complete, IMHO.

What if the policy and objectives as written are on one form.
Is there anything against the policy and objectives being combined?

That way we are providing this true value thing by complying with requirements and making continual improvement...
 

ScottK

Not out of the crisis
Leader
Super Moderator
Could you at least drop "true"? Btw, Madden works for Ace, and gets very emotional when someone associates him with True Value:


Don't say what you strive to do; say what you actually do. For example, instead of "To our customers by striving for total customer satisfaction," you could say something like, "...by providing processes that result in customer satisfaction." ("Total" will never happen.)

I don't see how you can derive anything really objective from it. Why not something about treating suppliers fairly and respectfully? Everyone knows that in order for customer-supplier relationships to be optimized there must be benefit for both sides, but it's how you accomplish it that's important.

:bonk: that's what ya get when HD and Lowes are the only games in town.

I hear you about the striving thing.... and I think I agree. It's like saying "meet or exceed customer expectations", a phrase that never sat well with me.

As far as measurables - I have a table of measureables and example departmental objectives to support these. How do I measure a "mutually beneficial partnership" - example - on time deliveries and quality evaluation by them versus on time payments and clear requirements from us. If it's a 1 to 1 realtionship then it's mutually beneficial.
 

Jim Wynne

Leader
Admin
As far as measurables - I have a table of measureables and example departmental objectives to support these. How do I measure a "mutually beneficial partnership" - example - on time deliveries and quality evaluation by them versus on time payments and clear requirements from us. If it's a 1 to 1 realtionship then it's mutually beneficial.

I don't want to belabor this because at some point it becomes nitpicking (if it hasn't already :eek:) but just because you pay a supplier on time doesn't mean the payment represents a fair and reasonable profit for the supplier. These days, demanding unreasonable cost reductions from suppliers is common for companies that claim they strive for mutually beneficial relationships.
 

AndyN

Moved On
What if the policy and objectives as written are on one form.
Is there anything against the policy and objectives being combined?

That way we are providing this true value thing by complying with requirements and making continual improvement...

If I put my external auditor hat on for a minute, I'd say "It says in the standard" and quote you what I just posted before. It's under the policy section, not the objectives! If it was O.K to put it in the objectives, the TC 176 people would have put the statement there.......

Looking at what you've written, you've limited meeting requirements to ISO and regs, when there are more to consider than just those two.

What's the problem with meeting the requirements, the way ISO 9001 asks you to?
 
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