posted 10 April 2001 10:34 PM            

The requirements for Quality Policy in 5.3 state that "Top Mgmt shall ensure that the quality policy includes a commitment to comply with requirements and continually improve the effectiveness of the QMS...".

I just took a training class given by a Registrar and they said we needed to change our quality policy because it did not contain verbage that included the words from above... "continual improving the effectiveness of the QMS" I disagree with the Registrar. If our Policy includes a commitment to deliver high quality products and services that ensure customer satisfaction, I think this meets the intent of the standard.

posted 11 April 2001 10:13 PM            

I appreciate your feedback on the Quality Policy (and would like to hear more). Can you point me towards an example of what you think a good Quality Policy should say? What do you think of the following statement to be included in a Quality Policy:

......on-time delivery of high quality products and services that ensure customer satisfaction. This is achieved by 1)capturing best practice, 2) measuring effectiveness, and 3) continually improving the Quality Management System.

This shows a goal / high-level business objective, a commitment to continual improvement and how it will be achieved.

I've been involved with ISO for about 10 years and have seen several examples of Quality Policies but never gave it much attention compared to the rest of the Quality System. With the new standard and the emphasis on customer focus and continual improvement, it made me take a closer look.

Again, many thanks

posted 17 April 2001 05:40 PM               

Hi. Howâs it going?
Thereâs not a thing wrong with what you have said above but, if you donât say Îcommitment to comply with requirementsâ, or something that says much the same thing, eg; Î...commitment to continual improvement and to compliance with the requirements of ISO 9001:2000â, somewhere in your policy, then you are likely to be asked to put it in. And why not? The registrar doesnât have to give you the benefit of the doubt, especially when it is just a few words to add in - it doesnât cost anything. The registrar has a duty to see the standard is covered to the best of his/her ability.
I often wonder at issues like this - people are very reluctant to do things and itâs hard to figure why until you start to get to the bottom of it. Thatâs where questions like yours can be so useful even if the conclusions I come up with do not fit your situation. I think, ÎWhy not just put it in?â. But it isnât always as simple as that;
People are very wary of having non-compliances written up against them. Often they will argue with the registrar and go on justifying their position, not because it is difficult, costly or time consuming to make the change but just because they feel they have been shown up to be wrong. Maybe it isnât the person concerned, but their manager, who has this attitude. So the guy who looks after the system has to adopt the same attitude. (Managers are very often prone to this sort of thing because theyâre mainly concerned with maintaining a positive image - donât want anything to do with any blots on their career building copybook).
Itâs a pity, if that is the case, because a registrar audit is supposed to be a situation where we engage a company to come in and provide a service for us. How stupid, if we pay all that money and then attempt to hide things from them, disagree with what they tell us, ignore their advice.
People, and especially managers, should take a more sensible approach, theyâre well enough paid to be sensible, arenât they? The registrar is not going to take your certificate away. Theyâre not looking to give you a hard time, or to have a hard time. Theyâll be delighted if you treat them as customer/client to specialist service and not as an enemy.
In my experience, the registrar is the least of our problems. If audits are a pain, unpleasant, ineffective, etc, itâs probably someone in house, playing politics, thatâs behind it all.

So thereâs some thoughts on the issue, prompted by your question and, though probably not relevant in your case, itâs something else weâve learned. ÎI can find the answers ok, if only I can get the right questionsâ, as the man said.