Developing and implementing ISO 9001:2015 QMS – 01 – Leadership and Commitment from Top Management

Developing and implementing ISO 9001:2015 QMS – 01 – Leadership and Commitment from Top Management 

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It is a strategic decision for an organization to adopt and implement ISO 9001:2015 QMS standard. Once the top management of an organization takes a decision to develop and implement ISO 9001:2015 QMS standard, following three things from the top management will facilitate proper development and implementation of ISO 9001:2015 QMS standard:

 

-        Leadership role

 

-        Commitment

 

-        Active role

 

It is necessary for the top management to demonstrate leadership and commitment to implement ISO 9001:2015 QMS standard. The top management of the organization must be convinced that implementing ISO 9001:2015 QMS standard will provide a number potential benefits to the organization. The top management must know that although certification is not mandatory or a requirement of the standard, however certification will enable the organization to demonstrate a visible commitment to quality of product, quality of service, quality management system and sustainable development initiatives. The top management must be aware of the overview of ISO 9001:2015 QMS standard, for which the top management should attend a presentation training that covers following issues:

 

-        ISO 9001:2015 QMS Overview

 

-        Importance of understanding the organization and its context

 

-        Risk-based thinking

 

-        Identification of goals and expectations

 

-        Leadership role

 

-        Quality policy

 

-        Quality objectives

 

-        Engaging persons for contribute to the quality management system’s effectiveness

 

-        Establishing a steering committee

 

-        Establishing a task force

 

-        Appointing a consultant

 

-        Implementation process

 

Presentation training covering the above issues can be organized by personnel, who is well aware of ISO 9001:2015 AMS standard and is able to interpretate and explain the requirements of ISO 9001:2015 QMS standard. An outside consultant or trainer may be asked to organize such training. If the top management is not able to attend an overview training, then it can read relevant literature, books and publications. In this connection, reading of ‘Training Handbook on ISO 9001:2015 QMS Awareness’ (ASIN - B093YFFY7Z, available at Amazon) is suggested. In the year 2015, International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has published an informative free brochure to ISO 9001 "ISO 9001 - Debunking the myths" that clarifies some of the misconceptions around its implementation and use. It can be downloaded from the ISO's website. Its reading will be useful. There are many other books and publications available.

 

The top management of the organization should demonstrate leadership, commitment and determination to implement ISO 9001:2015 QMS standard by involving themselves actively in the following tasks:

 

-        Ensuring people in the organization understand the importance of meeting requirements

 

-        Establishing the organization’s quality policy and quality objectives

 

-        Integrating quality management system requirements into the organization’s business processes

 

-        Promoting the use of the process approach and risk-based thinking

 

-        Engaging, directing and supporting people in the organization

 

-        Providing necessary resources

 

-        Promoting improvements

 

-        Performing management reviews at planned intervals to ensure continuing suitability, adequacy, effectiveness and alignment of organization’s quality management system with the strategic direction of the organization

 

The top management of the organization should identify objectives or goals it wants to achieve. Typical objectives or goals may be as under:

 

-        Providing more efficient product and service

 

-        Be more profitable

 

-        Producing product and service that consistently meet requirements

 

-        Achieving / enhancing customer satisfaction

 

-        More business for the organization

 

-        Maintaining / enhancing market share (business)

 

-        Improving processes in the organization

 

-        Improving communication

 

-        Improving morale of the people in the organization

 

-        Reducing cost

 

-        Reducing liabilities

 

-        Reducing waste

 

-        Reducing rework

 

-        Increasing confidence in the production process

 

-        Technical upgradation

 

The top management needs to ensure that intended results are achieved, so the top management must take all possible steps to develop and implement quality management system in the organization according to ISO 9001:2015 QMS standard. In this connection, requirements stated in the standard and requirements determined by the organization need to be fulfilled.

 

In nutshell, the top management should have overview knowledge of ISO 9001:2015 quality management system and it should actively involve itself in ISO 9001:2015 QMS implementation process in the organization by guiding, directing and motivating its people. Focusing on leadership and commitment from top management is a crucial aspect of successfully implementing a QMS, and it sets the tone for the entire organization's commitment to quality and continual improvement.

 

Best wishes,

Keshav Ram Singhal

 

Please have your comments / reaction.

 

To train your employees with ISO 9001:2015 QMS Awareness, please supply them “TRAINING HANDBOOK ON ISO 9001:2015QMS AWARENESS” (ASIN: B093YFFY7Z), which is available worldwide at Amazon. Please search this Training Handbook in Amazon Website of your country. 

 

 You may also supply your employees following eBooks - (i) A Concise Guide on Creating and Updating Documented Information (eBook) https://store.pothi.com/book/ebook-keshav-ram-singhal-concise-guide-creating-and-updating-documented-information/ (ii) Applying Risk-based Thinking in an Organization Implementing ISO 9001:2015 QMS (eBook) https://store.pothi.com/book/ebook-keshav-ram-singhal-applying-risk-based-thinking-organization-implementing-iso-9001-2015-q/

 

Thanks.