ISO 9001 Quality Management System
The Quality Management System (QMS) encompasses the methods and processes an organization uses to direct and control its business activities related to quality. It generally includes the organizational structure, design, processes, resources, and documentation a business uses to achieve its quality objectives and consistently provide products and services that meet customer requirements. The ISO 9001 standard is the most widely recognized quality management standard globally, defining the requirements for quality management and aiming to establish an effective system for organizing, managing, and operating a company.
Adopting a quality management system should be a strategic decision for the company. The ultimate goal of a QMS based on the ISO 9001 standard is to provide products and services that consistently meet customer requirements, as well as applicable legal and regulatory requirements.
Some reasons organizations decide to adopt and implement a Quality Management System include:
- Improving business performance and productivity
- Greater focus on achieving goals and meeting customer expectations
- Increasing customer satisfaction
- Building customer confidence that the intended quality is achieved and maintained
- Improving the quality of products and services offered
- Creating opportunities to expand into new markets
- Enhancing competitiveness in tenders and orders where required
- Improving the internal organization of the business
- Upgrading the organization’s image and name, differentiating it from the competition
- Acquiring a valuable marketing and advertising tool
- Identifying important needs for staff training, improving staff skills, and increasing staff involvement in improvements
- Facilitating culture change within the organization