Should I send survey questionnaire prior to Supplier EMS Audit?

[Puck81]

Hello,

I am new to the forum, but so far i have found the discussions to be extremely helpful as I go through a 3 year old 14K system i have inherited. After talking with our 9K manager, i found out he uses the site as well.

I am wanting to conduct some on-site supplier audits soon. In our Supplier Evaluation Procedure we first send out a survey with basic EMS questions, and at the end we ask if we have permission for an on-site visit. So far i cannot find any records of completed surveys, so i will be sending some out this week.

I want to conduct on-site visits to Heat Treat, Plating, Painting, Recycling and Waste handling facilities. Should i also sned the surveys to companies supplying us? We purchase a large amount of lubes, metalworking fluids and soaps from a single company which is somewhat local. Should i audit them, or stick with companies downstream from us?

 

[NikkiQSM]

Re: Supplier Audit Question

If the materials you receive from those suppliers can directly affect the quality of your product - I would say absolutely!

 

[Ajit Basrur]

Re: Should I send survey questionnaire prior to Supplier Audit ?

Hello,

I am new to the forum, but so far i have found the discussions to be extremely helpful as I go through a 3 year old 14K system i have inherited. After talking with our 9K manager, i found out he uses the site as well. <snip>

Welcome to the Cove

The Supplier Quality Management invloves identifying suppliers who need to be audited based on the criticality of the products and for those suppliers to be audited, you send the survey form in advance.

Thus your systems should dictate if a supplier audit is required or not and not to be left to the supplier.

 

[harry]

Just a note: I think the Original Poster is referring to Supplier EMS Audit and not Quality Audit.

 

[Michael.Anishton]

Yes. If that involves pointing out which you can really rely on and can still support your business and products competitively. Every business need to ensure that the quality of their products that come from suppliers are adequately in-line with EMS standards and legislative requirements. If you think having a survey questionnaire would help you too in the audit, then go.

 

[buzzjaw]

Just a quick spanner in the works: Apart from your inherited management system where is the requirement for auditing your suppliers or subcontractors? It's one of the things I hate about ISO 14001. A 14001 certified company can effectively, continuing to comply with the requirements of the standard, subcontract the bulk of their work to another company and that company may have no environmental management system or take any environmental responsibility (apart from meeting legislative requirements).

 

[Puck81]

Just a quick spanner in the works: Apart from your inherited management system where is the requirement for auditing your suppliers or subcontractors? It's one of the things I hate about ISO 14001. A 14001 certified company can effectively, continuing to comply with the requirements of the standard, subcontract the bulk of their work to another company and that company may have no environmental management system or take any environmental responsibility (apart from meeting legislative requirements).

I have been going through the standards over and over since reading this response.

4.4.6 basical states we should identify and plan operations associated with our significant aspects. We then establish, implement and maintain procedures associated with significant aspects by communication with suppliers.

Our Procedure "Supplier Evaluation" has the followling Scope:
Applies to suppliers whose work could have a significant environmental impact at GGM.

My new question is how does an EMS audit of a supplier fall into this? Do i still need this Procedure?

 

[Helmut Jilling]

Just a quick spanner in the works: Apart from your inherited management system where is the requirement for auditing your suppliers or subcontractors? It's one of the things I hate about ISO 14001. A 14001 certified company can effectively, continuing to comply with the requirements of the standard, subcontract the bulk of their work to another company and that company may have no environmental management system or take any environmental responsibility (apart from meeting legislative requirements).

Any auditor who has some experience would look into this scenario rather closely. This would be a little unusual. Although a similar and plausible scenario is most companies buy some of their components from suppliers, and many of those suppliers are in other countries.

The first scenario, I would look at the requirements to control or monitor persons working for or on behalf of the organization.

However, the second scenario is very common, and is often used as a dodge - which was your primary point. That is much harder to police with confidence.

 

[buzzjaw]

I'm afraid I can't answer that question. Ask yourself why are you auditing your suppliers. What is the requirement you are trying to fulfill? If there is no requirement except your own management system then you don't have to do it (although you will obviously have to update your system / procedure accordingly).

That said there can be a need (customer, legislative, etc) for your suppliers to meet specific requirements and in those cases you need to work out a process for ensuring that they meet those requirements. Could be an audit. It could be that they hold similar certification. It could be that they supply you figures for waste and carbon generation. It could be that they buy all their materials from sustainable sources. The choice is yours providing it is inline with the requirements.

 

[Dr. L. Ramakrishnan]

1. It is a good idea to send the questionnaire in advance to the supplier; my experience with this approach is that it helps the supplier to focus on issues of your interest and for you it helps you to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the audit.
2. As for auditing different types of suppliers, it may be based on the potential impact of their products and services on your activities, products and services or the volume of business that you have with the supplier. We followed the latter.
3. Please also bear in mind, however small is the business with the supplier, if there is a disruption of supplies from a critical supplier, your operations will be affected. It is in your interest to assess such suppliers at least for compliance with environmental legislation.