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Quality Manual best approach

The best simple approach would be to cover all requirements of the standard with a simple explanation of how your company complies with them. You should also include a link that will lead to a document that describes with more details how you meet the requirements of the standard

For more about Quality Manual, please read the article: How to write the IATF 16949 Quality Manual https://advisera.com/16949academy/blog/2017/05/31/how-to-write-the-iatf-16949-quality-manual/  

For a shorter version please read the article: Writing a short Quality Manual https://advisera.com/9001academy/knowledgebase/writing-a-short-quality-manual/

Concern about corporate quality policy

Think about the purpose of a quality policy: aligning people around a set of priorities.

I will give you my thoughts, I will write about my own practice. When I work with an organization’s top management in developing their quality policy I recommend thinking about a set of questions:

• Who are your target customers and other very relevant interested parties?
• What are the most important requirements for those target customers and other very relevant interested parties? In other words, what do they value and look for?
• In what activities should your organization be excellent to be able to satisfy target customers and other very relevant interested parties?

After discussing the questions and answers and after arriving at some consensus, I invite the organization to write a text with the following structure:

• To whom do we work (We work for clients that value …) 
• What are our top priorities. In what things we need to be excellent
• Add the commitments included and required by ISO 9001
   

The following material will provide you more information about quality policy:

How to Write a Good Quality Policy – https://advisera.com/9001academy/blog/2014/03/25/write-good-quality-policy/

[free course] ISO 9001:2015 Foundations Course - https://advisera.com/training/iso-9001-foundations-course/

[free course] ISO 9001:2015 Internal Auditor Course - https://advisera.com/training/iso-9001-internal-auditor-course/

Book - Discover ISO 9001:2015 Through Practical Examples – https://advisera.com/books/discover-iso-9001-2015-through-practical-examples/

Want to achieve AS9100 Rev D

Certification audit at multi-site organization

Once I worked as a consultant implementing a quality management system for a service company with 23 sites (21 in the mainland and 2 in two different islands. When we had the certification audit, auditors visited the headquarters and a sample of 3 site visits. But they were very interested in our internal audits and verified if all sites were audited. After certification, during surveillance audits they were always changing the sample of sites to visit. Same works for a construction company (headquarters, central yard, construction sites). 

The following material will provide you more information about certification audits:

How to prepare your company for the ISO 9001 certification audit - https://advisera.com/9001academy/03/how-to-prepare-your-company-for-the-iso-9001-certification-audit/
What questions to expect on the ISO 9001 certification audit - https://advisera.com/9001academy/blog/2016/04/19/what-questions-to-expect-on-the-iso-9001-certification-audit/
Enroll for free in the course - ISO 9001:2015 Lead Auditor Course - https://advisera.com/training/iso-9001-lead-auditor-course/
 Book – Preparing for ISO Certification Audit: A Plain English Guide - https://advisera.com/books/preparing-for-iso-certification-audit-plain-english-guide/
 

Implementing ISO 9001 and get the certification

Start with a Gap Analysis, take a picture about your organization’s starting point. With that information develop an implementation plan. After implementation, start internal audits, do your management review and after deciding to go to certification, chose the certification body.

The following material will provide you more information about implementing a quality management system:

Free ISO 9001:2015 Gap Analysis Tool - https://advisera.com/9001academy/iso-9001-gap-analysis-tool/
ISO 9001 Implementation diagram - https://info.advisera.com/9001academy/free-download/iso-9001-implementation-diagram
Checklist of ISO 9001 implementation & certification steps - https://advisera.com/9001academy/knowledgebase/checklist-of-iso-9001-implementation-certification-steps/
How long does it take to implement an ISO 9001-based QMS? - https://advisera.com/9001academy/blog/2016/07/05/how-long-does-it-take-to-implement-an-iso-9001-based-qms/
How should you pick an ISO 9001 certification body? - https://advisera.com/blog/2021/01/11/how-to-choose-an-iso-certification-body/
Free webinar on demand – Overview of ISO 9001 implementation steps - https://advisera.com/9001academy/webinar/overview-of-iso-9001-implementation-steps-free-webinar-on-demand/
Enroll for free in the course - ISO 9001:2015 Lead Implementer Course - https://advisera.com/training/iso-9001-lead-implementer-course/
Book – Discover ISO 9001:2015 Through Practical Examples – https://advisera.com/books/discover-iso-9001-2015-through-practical-examples/
 

All policies in place

Having only some policies written does not make you compliant. A policy framework is just a part of your compliance effort. You need to ensure that the policies are respected and processes are in place to support the applicability of the policies.

Data transfer and data access

Opportunities and environmental aspects and impacts

There is no requirement in ISO 14001:2015 to incorporate the opportunities in an Environmental Aspect Impact Register.

Different organizations use different approaches to manage risks and opportunities and aspects and impacts.

For example, when I audit organizations sometimes, I see this approach:

When I work as a consultant, I use this approach:

According to the first approach, opportunities are significant positive environmental impacts. According to my approach I have two registers: one for risks and opportunities and other for environmental aspects and impacts.

The following material will provide you more information about aspects and impacts and risks and opportunities:

Article - Should you use a risk register for the ISO 14001 EMS? - https://advisera.com/14001academy/blog/2016/10/17/should-you-use-a-risk-register-for-the-iso-14001-ems/
ISO 14001 risks and opportunities vs. environmental aspects - https://advisera.com/14001academy/blog/2016/06/06/iso-14001-risks-and-opportunities-vs-environmental-aspects/
Free webinar - Free webinar - ISO 14001: Identification and evaluation of environmental aspects - https://advisera.com/14001academy/webinar/iso-14001-identification-and-evaluation-of-environmental-aspects-free-webinar-on-demand/
Enroll for free in this course – ISO 14001:2015 Foundations Course - https://advisera.com/training/iso-14001-internal-auditor-course/
Book – The ISO 14001:2015 Companion - https://advisera.com/books/the-iso-14001-2015-companion/
 

Quality manager requirements

ISO 9001:2015 has no requirements about the role of the Quality Manager. So, a Quality Manager can work remotely as long as the management system conforms with ISO 9001:2015 requirements and is effective.

The following material will provide you more information about roles and responsibilities:

What is the job of the Quality Manager according to ISO 9001? - https://advisera.com/9001academy/blog/2016/08/23/what-is-the-job-of-the-quality-manager-according-to-iso9001/
How to document roles and responsibilities according to ISO 9001 - https://advisera.com/9001academy/blog/2018/02/26/how-to-document-roles-and-responsibilities-according-to-iso-9001/
Enroll for free course - ISO 9001:2015 Foundations Course - https://advisera.com/training/iso-9001-foundations-course/
book – Discover ISO 9001:2015 Through Practical Examples – https://advisera.com/books/discover-iso-9001-2015-through-practical-examples/