Please help me come up with a Quality Policy

[fireonce]

May add "continuously improve customer satisfaction degree / management performance / process capability.

 

[arin_23]

Hi Mumus,

This is kind of hard give input to without sounding harsh, so please bear with me, if I come off offensive.

If a Quality Policy is to have any real value, then it needs to be at least the things listed below:
- Phrased by topmanagement. If topmanagement does not phrase it then how can you expect them to be truly commited to it?
- A generic document. A companys Quality Policy should be reviewed and revised regularly. If it isn't it sends a signal that the company does not need to improve. Do you want to send that signal?
- A framework of how your company will continually strive to improve your quality. How will you monitor quality? How will you get feedback from the market? How will you communicate the importance of quality to your employees? etc.

I am sure that there are lots of other things that a Quality Policy needs too but these IMHO are the basics. If someone from the Cove told you how to phrase it then you wouldn't be wiser and your company wouldn't improve.

Hi buddy Gert!!!

I guess this is the simplest and most lucid way of defining the quality policy.I just want to add one more point to the list you have prescribed i.e.
- The quality policy schould act as an interface tool between the vision and mission of the Top management. To describe it further The mission should be acheived from the vision by use of the quality policy and if not so; the quality policy needs to be reviewed in the Management Review Meeting.

Would you agree to this????

Cheers

Arindam

 

[Gert Sorensen]

- The quality policy schould act as an interface tool between the vision and mission of the Top management. To describe it further The mission should be acheived from the vision by use of the quality policy and if not so; the quality policy needs to be reviewed in the Management Review Meeting.

Would you agree to this????

Yes, Topmanagement should have a vision of what they want the company to achieve - in all respects, financially, environmentally, qualitywise etc.

Yes, this vision should - among other places - manifest itself in the Quality Policy, as a tool for the entire company.

Yes, the Quality Policy needs to be reviewed, but not only if the mission is not achieved. In real life our objectives, ideas and visions change with the seasons. We grow wiser and more knowing as persons. Management changes due to hiring, firing, retirement, relocation etc. This means that new input is available and should be used to improve the company on a continual basis. Even if the mission is achieved then a company needs to change its goals, or it will stop evolving and "die".

 

[amanbhai]

I'll do it. Mumus, your registrar has flat missed this from the beginning and it is not an "observation" it is an outright non-conformance to ISO9001:2000 Section 5.3 b). I don't know how anyone could construe that your current policy "b) includes a commitment to comply with requirements and continually improve the effectiveness of the quality management system." It certainly does not "c) provide(s) a framework for establishing and reviewing quality objectives". Only you can tell us if it "a) is appropriate to the purpose of the organization" but my guess is that it is not.

While we all come here for ideas and help, I would strongly suggest that you obey 5.3 e) and assure that your Quality Policy "is reviewed for continuing suitability." at your next Management Review. Prepare your management for this discussion when you send out your announcement by including the language of Section 5.3 and let them know that they must develop a new QP that addresses a), b), & c). After that, you need some kind of training, company-wide meeting or something to prove that your new QP "d) is communicated and understood within the organization."

Honestly, I was working on my Management Review meeting right now & coincidently I was about to ask a question about the quality policy review. After reading your feedback, I have included Quality policy review in my Management review meeting presentation.
Hope to review the Quality policy & in case if it is amended. It will be communicated to the employees.

 

[Icy Mountain]

Does anybody really think that the revision to Mumus' organization quality policy will change anything, other than the external auditor's satisfaction that the policy statement complies with the "cold text" of the standard?

Nope. Qualifier: If top management actually takes the observation under advisement and commits to implementation of the intent of Section 5.3, yes. Acquire a copy of ISO 9004-2000 and read what was intended (For JaneB, this is what should be). That said, a QP without the words "continual improvement" in it will earn you a finding from a 3rd party auditor just as fast as a voltmeter with no calibration sticker. It's just too easy for them (this is what is).

Honestly, I was working on my Management Review meeting right now & coincidently I was about to ask a question about the quality policy review. After reading your feedback, I have included Quality policy review in my Management review meeting presentation.
Hope to review the Quality policy & in case if it is amended. It will be communicated to the employees.

Good for you. Why in the world would anyone skip the opportunity to review the QP during Management Review? QP review should be on the agenda for every MR! C'mon, everybody, get up and strrrrrretch! Assigned reading: ISO 9004-2000.

 

[Keith Childers]

"We'll do anything for a buck, and sometimes we get things right"

This sounds like the mission statement for every company I've ever worked for!!!

 

[Pazuzu - 2009]

Do it once, do it right. Do it wrong, do it twice.

 

[Paul Simpson]

Does anybody really think that the revision to Mumus' organization quality policy will change anything, other than the external auditor's satisfaction that the policy statement complies with the "cold text" of the standard?

My answer is "maybe." Problem is I can never see a fence without sitting on it.

On a serious note, consistent with my other postings on Policy statements I believe they can and should be a significant part of your system. Much as the old story about the NASA janitor "helping to put a man on the moon" policies give a focus to the business.

Now the problem is 99% of organizations don't understand or buy into the role of policy - for that I have no answer ..... only questions.

 

[Mumus]

Thank you all for your valuable inputs.

I proposed the following:

"Complete customer satisfaction through continuous improvement"

The rest is up to management to see if it fits the purpose of the organization. I believe it does...but hey...that's just me

What upsets me is that top management asks me to propose a new QP when this should be their vision and belief...not "only" mine.

Anyway, thanks again for your help. This forum as awesome.

M.

 

[MajorBVNaik]

Dear Sir,
Mr Gert has put very correctly. Top management commitment will be forth coming if the QP is defined them.The QP forms a stage in deplyment of Vision. As regards what all should be included in a QP is quite clearly defined in ISO 9001 & additonal explanation given in ISO 9004 should help. One aspect generally not incorporated & which must be is " the commitment to meeting all the statutory & regulatory requirements.
Major B V Naik