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Interested Parties Question

Discussion in 'ISO 9001:2015 - Quality Management Systems' started by MP480, Jan 13, 2017.

  1. MP480

    MP480 Member

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    We are working towards getting the 9001:2015 ISO Certification and we basically had an ISO 2008 version in place before -- compliant to that standard but not certified. I'm trying to establish Interested Parties for our organization and I'm unsure how to go about it. We are a Supply Chain and have many Suppliers and End Users(Customers). Any recommendations on how to go about this? I thought about making an Excel Log of the Interested Parties but with having over 500+ I'm not sure how feasible this would be nor beneficial. We have some Key Suppliers that we have pointed out and we evaluate but that's only a select group out of the many. Thanks for your help
     
  2. Andy Nichols

    Andy Nichols Moderator Staff Member

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    Are you doing this alone, or with your management/leadership? I worry when I read that it sounds like one person is doing something that the senior management/leadership team should actually be sitting around the table figuring out what this ISO stuff is about. One person cannot do this with any likelihood of getting it right, or the management team owning the thing down the road.
     
  3. MP480

    MP480 Member

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    I'm the Quality Manager and I'm in charge of us achieving ISO. While I do have assistance with other management, we are a small group and it's often hard to find time for us all to meet due to stretched demands. So most of this is placed on me.

    **Also, they never had a Quality Manager or person in place until they hired me 6 months ago**
     
  4. Andy Nichols

    Andy Nichols Moderator Staff Member

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    Do it at lunch - everyone stops for lunch. Buy pizza. Schedule a half hour. Trust me...
     
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  5. tony s

    tony s Well-Known Member

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    There are two (2) "shalls" in clause 4.2. The 1st "shall" is requiring the organization to determine their relevant interested parties and their relevant requirements. Does an organization need to have a list for this? This requirement can be fulfilled by various approaches like monitoring delivery schedules for different customers, integrating the customers' requirements into the organization's quality objectives, analyzing the feedback from customers and relevant interested parties (see Clause 9.3.2c.1), monitoring compliance with the regulatory bodies, establishing employee grievance committee, etc.

    I would assume that MP480's concern is how the 2nd "shall" can be satisfied. The above samples can already satisfy both shalls. In addition to this, the statement in Annex A.6 should be considered, which says:
    Where this International Standard refers to “information” rather than “documented information” (e.g. in 4.1: “The organization shall monitor and review the information about these external and internal issues”), there is no requirement that this information is to be documented. In such situations, the organization can decide whether or not it is necessary or appropriate to maintain documented information.
     
  6. MP480

    MP480 Member

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    Very true!!

    Yes, I'm not sure how to show 'proof of this' basically.
     
  7. Jennifer Kirley

    Jennifer Kirley Moderator Staff Member

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    It makes sense to include it in management review, as this is where strategic-level business considerations are addressed. After all, these are generally essential parts of the business plan or Operations Plan.
     
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  8. tony s

    tony s Well-Known Member

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    IMHO the main intentions of clause 4.2 are to:
    1. give guidance to organizations in determining their QMS scope (cl. 4.3b), and
    2. give focus when organizations are planning for their QMS (cl. 6.1.1)
    For establishing the evidences on fulfilling the intention #1, organizations may provide information to auditors about the relevant interested parties they consider during the formulation of their QMS scope. For example: An organization who provide parts to medical and automotive companies may decide to limit their QMS scope to only cover those processes that produce parts for the automotive sector. The organization should ensure that all relevant interested parties including their relevant requirements are known to them. How to determine these interested parties and requirements? There are a lot of ways to do it. Then present them to the auditor.

    For the evidences to fulfill intention #2, once the requirements are determined from these relevant interested parties (e.g. on-time delivery, high products acceptability, safety, etc.), the organization should establish controls to address risk/opportunities relevant to the interested parties' requirements. Quality objectives can also be established relevant to the interested parties' requirements. Evidence of monitoring and review to ensure fulfillment of the requirements of the interested parties, including quality objectives relevant to them, can be presented to the auditor.
     
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  9. PSRiordan

    PSRiordan Member

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    I think you're getting too granular. Can you not create some categories such as customers (perhaps some subgroups by industry), end-users, shareholders, suppliers, regulatory authorities, etc.? And then identify what their needs (aka requirements) are? Example - my client lays pipeline for oil and gas. An interested party is the community in which they are laying the pipeline. Needs/requirements: NIMBY, minimal impact to the environment. Now drill down to risks - community activists could attempt to shut them down via protests, complaints, etc. Risk is addressed through PR on site, 24 hour security, protocols to be followed when on site, plans if/when protesters disrupt a site.

    Keep it high level and, as Andy mentioned, don't do this in a vacuum. You can create a couple of examples of interested parties (same goes for context of the organization), but then get leadership involved and help them think it through.

    Get good pizza.