The 7 pillars (or principles) of ISO 9001:2015, the international standard for quality management systems, are fundamental concepts that guide organizations toward improved performance and customer satisfaction. These principles are:
The 7 Quality Management Principles of ISO 9001:2015
Here's a breakdown of each principle:
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Customer Focus: Organizations should strive to meet and exceed customer requirements. This involves understanding current and future customer needs, fulfilling their expectations, and building customer loyalty. Customer satisfaction is key to long-term success.
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Leadership: Leaders at all levels establish unity of purpose and direction and create conditions in which people are engaged in achieving the organization's quality objectives. Leadership provides the framework for achieving quality goals and fostering a positive work environment.
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Engagement of People: Competent, empowered, and engaged individuals at all levels throughout the organization are essential to enhance its capability to create and deliver value. Involving people in decision-making processes and recognizing their contributions can lead to increased motivation and improved performance.
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Process Approach: Consistent and predictable results are achieved more effectively and efficiently when activities are understood and managed as interrelated processes that function as a coherent system. Managing activities as processes allows organizations to control and improve the effectiveness and efficiency of their operations.
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Improvement: Successful organizations have an ongoing focus on improvement. This includes identifying opportunities for improvement, implementing corrective actions, and striving for continuous enhancement of processes, products, and services.
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Evidence-Based Decision Making: Decisions based on the analysis and evaluation of data and information are more likely to produce desired results. Data-driven decision-making helps organizations make informed choices and reduce the risk of errors.
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Relationship Management: For sustained success, organizations manage their relationships with interested parties, such as suppliers. Mutually beneficial relationships with suppliers and other stakeholders can contribute to improved performance and a more resilient supply chain.
These seven principles work together to create a robust quality management system that drives continuous improvement and enhances customer satisfaction within an organization.
