ISO 9001 being an International standard for quality management has been designed by experts from around the world to help you put quality at the core of your organization.
This is done using ISO 9001 principles that define what exactly needs to be done. By following these principles, the rewards will be bigger, customer satisfaction better and the performance stronger.
Here is a detailed guide about ISO 9001 seven principles for a better understanding on how you can implement ISO 9001 to help your business grow. But first let’s get a brief overview about ISO 9001.
The ISO 9001 Standard is part of the ISO 9000 family of quality management standards. ISO 9001:2015 is the current revised version of the standard that outlines all the requirements needed to develop a quality management system. It offers the following:
ISO 9001 standard can provide many benefits to both your business and customers. But none of them can be achieved without following the 7 principles of ISO 9001 2015.
Quality management principles provide a basis for implementing ISO 9001. The core concepts serve as a foundation for quality management throughout your organization, allowing you to maximize performance improvements while adhering to compliance standards.
The 7 management principles of ISO 9001 standard are:
All of these quality management principles ISO 9001 are equally important and shouldn’t be prioritized in order.
Let’s know about the principles of ISO 9001 in more detail.
Focus on customers is a great way to show your commitment to quality. Gathering consumer feedback, whether positive or negative, is essential since it may help you identify non-conformities and improve your processes, allowing your organization to operate even better.
The advantages of a customer-focused strategy include:
In addition to satisfying customers, your company should consider the interests of other stakeholders, such as owners, employees, suppliers, investors, and the larger community.
Strong leadership is an essential component of satisfying the criteria set forth in the seven quality management principles. This involves developing a clear vision for your company’s future and successfully conveying it to guarantee that the entire team is working toward common goals. This alignment promotes a shared sense of purpose, which can increase staff engagement and productivity.
Additional benefits of successful leadership include:
Quality management systems, such as ISO 9001, are not just for senior management; everyone in your organization contributes to the procedures. To effectively benefit from ISO 9001’s fundamental quality management concepts, you must openly discuss concerns and share information and expertise with your team. It is critical that everyone in your firm understands their job and feels appreciated for their contribution to its success. This will not only help you gain accreditation, but will also demonstrate your organization’s dedication to quality improvement.
The advantages of engaging people across your processes include:
Consider implementing some awareness training to help promote understanding of ISO 9001 and its benefits. Our online e-learning training platform offers a beneficial ISO 9001 awareness course.
The Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle, a core principle of the ISO 9001 standard, promotes a process-driven culture in your firm. It offers an organized approach to optimal process design, resource allocation, and management.
Taking an orderly approach to executing your procedures can result in the following benefits:
By managing all aspects of your organization as a whole, you will be able to coordinate operations for higher efficiency, making it easier to reach your goals. Measuring and assessing these interconnected processes can also help you identify areas for improvement.
Continuous improvement is critical to the ISO 9001 quality management system and should be your organization’s primary goal. Implementing strategies for detecting risks and opportunities, as well as resolving non-conformances. Measuring and monitoring your efforts allows you to identify areas for improvement and make your business stronger.
The advantages that continuous improvement provides for your organization include:
Decisions should be based on accurate data and evidence. For example, to determine the root cause of a nonconformity, you must have the appropriate evidence. Make sure information is accessible to those who require it, and maintain communication channels open.
Building an evidence-based strategy to inform decisions provides various business benefits, including:
Your suppliers can be a significant source of competitive advantage, but this requires building relationships based on trust. Building good, long-term connections with suppliers and other stakeholders entails balancing short-term financial rewards with long-term, mutually beneficial approaches.
Strengthening these ties within your company produces a climate suitable to development and expansion, which offers various benefits, including
Implementing these seven quality management principles while you obtain ISO 9001 certification can help you achieve the Standard’s essential requirements. Following these principles allows your business to foster a culture of quality and continual improvement, which is critical for long-term performance and customer satisfaction.
Continuously improving your processes will also allow you to reduce costs and increase market share by responding quickly to new opportunities.
The quality management principles were established by the quality management and quality assurance committee (ISO/TC 176) of the International Organization for Standardization.
The ISO 9001:2000 standard incorporated quality management principles.
The ISO 9001 standard focuses on meeting customer needs and exceeding customer expectations.
Planning to elevate your business with ISO certification?