New Quality Policy for ISO 9001:2015 - Please Review

[markmh]

hi

Ive just been working on updating our quality policy to comply with 9001:2015 and would like some feedback from others who are in the same position.

the previous chap who was involved in the firms quality has left and ive only been doing this for a while, he had included the scope of the qms in our policy along with those clauses that we had excluded ourselves from.

should the policy include the scope and exclusions or can this information be kept in a seperate document.

thanks

mark

 

[howste]

Hi Markmh, and welcome to the forums!

While it includes a lot of good information, it's possible that your quality policy statement is the biggest that I've ever seen. Most that I see are one to three sentences. You might consider a short policy statement that's a top-level summary. The rest of what's on your page I see as supporting information that supports the top-level policy.

Here's an example (short) quality policy statement:

Company X consistently provides reliable, high-quality products and services, on time, that meet the requirements and expectations of our customers, while continually striving to improve.

This would be the policy statement that is to be communicated and understood by all employees. The rest supplements and describes how you implement the policy, such as:

We implement this policy using the following principles and practices...

 

[normzone]

[howste] is being polite, [markmh] - take an axe to it, or set it on fire and start over. The fellow who wrote it left before he had to prove that he was doing everything in there.

He also managed to avoid having to measure it and show that the company was improving at all these things.

 

[Kronos147]

Hi Markmh, and welcome to the forums!

Yes, welcome!

Most that I see are one to three sentences. You might consider a short policy statement that's a top-level summary.

As usual, howste is spot on.

Keep it short and sweet. "Engagement of People" is part of the new mantra. Too long and people check out. People don't read anymore. We need soundbites and headlines or pictures. Sad but true.

One more thing to consider, is this quality policy part of your documented information? How do you control it? Does it have a form number or anything other than title and date?

Is it stated in a manual as opposed to referenced? Does it need to be changed both places?

Just food for thought.

 

[Randy]

It'll never pass muster with an objective 3rd party audit. (I say this sight unseen) I'd ask for objective evidence for every promise/claim made in that "Policy"

Your policy is an auditable management system document than binds you to every committment made in it...Every single one, and you must be able to demonstrate through planning and performance your achievement of them.


The dog ain't gonna hunt

 

[AprilH]

Holy moly, how will you audit to that policy.

*Internal Auditor to Mfg Tech: So what does the quality policy mean to you?
*Answer: Ummmmm

Short and sweet is all you need. Something that can be posted throughout the company and understood by all.