Getting To Know The Iso 9001 Standard On Quality

According to the ISO Survey 2007, the ISO 9001 international standard on quality management systems is being used in 175 countries around the world. The standard was first introduced in 1987 to promote a uniform approach to product quality management. It has been revised three times since then, with the current version of ISO 9001:2008 being effective since November 2008. By adopting the ISO 9001 quality management system model, producers of goods and services position themselves on a level of quality that is accepted in all major economies of the world.

This gives them the competitive edge in international and national trade, as more and more buyers demand some form of quality assurances from the producers. When your organization is ISO 9001-certified, you get more leverage from your customers because they know that a quality management system that is based on the ISO 9001 standard will always produce products that meet customer and applicable legal requirements.

And your customers also know that as a producer, your organization must continually improve internal processes in order to produce products that enhance customer satisfaction. But what is the ISO 9001 standard all about? How does it ensure that the producers meet all customer requirements, and enhance their satisfaction? ISO 9001 achieves this by specifying the responsibilities of the top management. These responsibilities include establishing the quality policy and the quality objectives.

Next, the organization is required to provide necessary resources for the quality management system such as competent employees, adequate infrastructures and suitable work environment. Then, ISO 9001 requires the organization to put in place specific controls into its product creation processes. Such controls are to be placed within the product planning, design and development, purchase of raw materials and services, manufacture of goods and/or services and, control of equipments activities.

Last but not least, ISO 9001 requires the organization to measure the effectiveness of its processes in order to identify weak areas within the quality management system where continual improvements can be made. And, did you know that a defective product can never be transferred to the customer? ISO 9001 requires that only products that have met all specified requirements can be delivered to their end-users. This is the kind of quality assurance that the ISO 9001 standard provide to the world, where it adds value to both the producer and the consumer in terms of product quality. It is probably one of the most beneficial inventions of the twentieth century.