While ISO 9004 itself isn't an acronym that "stands for" anything specific, it's best understood as a numbered standard within the ISO 9000 family of quality management standards. Its function is providing guidelines for sustained success within a quality management system.
Think of it like this:
- ISO 9000 family: A set of international standards related to quality management.
- ISO 9001: Specifies requirements for a quality management system (QMS) and is the standard to which organizations can be certified.
- ISO 9004: Provides guidance to help organizations improve their QMS beyond the basic requirements of ISO 9001, focusing on sustained success and continuous improvement. It is not used for certification purposes.
In short, ISO 9004 is a guideline, not a checklist. It helps organizations to:
- Achieve sustained success.
- Improve their overall performance.
- Meet the needs and expectations of a broad range of stakeholders.
- Move beyond compliance with ISO 9001.
Therefore, instead of standing for specific words, the ISO 9004 designation identifies a particular document providing guidance within the overall ISO 9000 quality management system framework.
