ISO9001

ISO 9001 2000

If there were no standards we would soon notice.  Standards make an enormous contribution to most aspects of our lives – although, often, that contribution is invisible.  It is when there is an absence of standards that their importance is brought home.  For example, as purchasers or users of products and services we soon notice when they turn out to be of poor quality, do not fit, are incompatible with equipment we already have or are unreliable or dangerous.  When products or services meet our expectations we tend to take this for granted.  This is because we are usually unaware of the role played by standards in raising levels of quality, safety, reliability, efficiency and inter-changeability, as well as in providing such benefits as cost savings.

ISO 9001 2000 has become an international model for quality requirements in business-to-business dealings and is concerned with quality management.  It has been designed around eight management principals which, have been identified as the framework leading towards improved performance of an organisation and they are aimed at helping organisations to achieve sustained success.

The eight Management Principals are:

1. Customer Focus
2. Leadership
3. Involvement of people
4. Process approach
5. System approach to management
6. Continual improvement
7. Factual approach to decision making
8. Mutually beneficial supplier relationships

As you have probably recognised there are clear linkages between these principals and the criteria for Investors in People and Lexcel. 

You may wish to consider the savings to be had from a joint assessment against ISO 9001 and Investors in People or Lexcel.

ISO 9001 2000 can be applied to any organisation large or small, whatever its product or service is, in any sector of activity and whether it is a business enterprise, a public administration or a government department.  If you would like to know more please contact John Edwards at our subsidiary organisation, Recognising Excellence Ltd, on 01452 420919 or email John.edwards@recognisingexcellence.co.uk.