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How to prove that the quality policy is appropriate?

Discussion in 'ISO 9001:2015 - Quality Management Systems' started by Leonid, Feb 8, 2016.

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  1. Andy Nichols

    Andy Nichols Moderator Staff Member

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    I agree Brad! I think sometimes, too many look at each requirement of ISO 9001 and an individual requirement and then, through the eyes of an auditor - instead of a business person - "ask how to audit it?" The quality policy is supposed to be (upwards) compatible with the context of the organization and, above that the interested parties. Below the Q policy, comes quality objectives, processes, measurement etc.

    Since all this is to be reviewed by management, I would have thought it was pretty simple to see if a Quality Policy which commits to "Meeting and Exceeding Customers' Expectations" would have been easily found to be inappropriate to the context of many organizations!
     
    Andy Nichols, Feb 12, 2016
    #21
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  2. Sara Nova

    Sara Nova Member

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    Good discussion. Great to read all these perspectives. In my experience, most auditors interpret this clause simply by looking for a mention of the organization's product and/or services in the quality policy. I distinctly remember one auditor with BSI, with many years of experience and considered a bit of a guru in ISO 9001, saying "I will NCR any company that does not include their products and services in their quality policy! I will NCR them!"

    Personally, I go a bit further and look for harmonization with the mission, vision and values statements, if they have them, and also with the HSE policy, if applicable. All of which have already been mentioned, I think.
     
    Sara Nova, Feb 12, 2016
    #22
  3. Andy Nichols

    Andy Nichols Moderator Staff Member

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    <SMH>
     
    Andy Nichols, Feb 13, 2016
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  4. Leonid

    Leonid Well-Known Member

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    In my 13 years auditing experience, no NCRs about the lacking mentioning of a product/service in the Q pilicy were issued.


    But auditors shall raise points of concern if the Q policy does not provide a framework for setting Q objectives and/or thse objectives are not consistent with the Q poilicy.
     
    Leonid, Feb 13, 2016
    #24
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  5. David Bulak

    David Bulak New Member

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    So, with all these thoughts, what would be the ideal quality policy statement? I know when we transitioned to the 2008 standard we were told to change it. Any one written a new quality policy for the 2015 standard?
     
    David Bulak, Feb 25, 2016
    #25
  6. Paul Simpson

    Paul Simpson Member

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    Hi, Sara. This is a great example of how some with a little knowledge and a bit of power are given an undeserved status. Your auditor is about as far from being a guru as I am from being a professional footballer (for our US cousins that is a soccer player :)).

    The assessment process has always been about evaluating evidence presented as demonstrating conformance with a requirement. So if an auditor goes in with preconceived notions of what the organisation 'must' have then they fail their employer and the client.

    FWIW any 'new' policy to meet the 2015 edition has to address the requirements and IMHO there isn't much new apart from ensuring the policy is aligned with the organisation's context - something that was (again IMHO) implicit.
     
    Paul Simpson, Feb 25, 2016
    #26
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