08 Apr 2020
02 Oct 2019
Integrated Management Systems (IMS) when well implemented enable improvement across various facets of the system. Management system implementation reminds me of the orientation that my gym instructor gave me when I first enrolled at my local health club:- “Losing weight doesn’t happen just in one day and with crash diets: you gotta workout, gotta sleep the right amount, have a little fun...
04 Apr 2019
As we work with clients, we find increasing examples of certification bodies requiring risk to be documented within an organization. This despite ISO 9001 specifically not requiring so!
This then brings up the question, “How should we audit the requirements of risk-based thinking within an organization when the same has not been documented using a formal risks management system or me...
07 Nov 2018
ISO standards such as ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 provide the framework for management systems to function using a process-based approach, to achieve customer and other stakeholder’s requirements. Organizations, certified to ISO standards, strive to be compliant, efficient and remain certified. Successful systems have Top Management (TM) / Leadership that are committed to and engag...
31 Aug 2018
In the past year there has been a lot of activity in the development and revision of ISO standards. Highlighted below are a few key updates:
ISO 41001 – Facility Management
This new standard applies the concept of the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle to the discipline of Facilities Management. This standard provides the requirements for a facility management system where an organization nee...
05 Jun 2018
The only bad nonconformity it the one we do not know about. Understanding this fact is the key for leaders and their managers being careful not to create a culture that hides nonconformity.
Even so it is common for managers to demand no mistakes and to react badly to errors.
Leading organizations provide employees with management systems that help them to understand and fulfill the...
01 May 2018
The International Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) is encouraging Internal Auditors around the world to actively promote internal auditing’s value during Internal Audit Awareness Month .
IIA is recognizing Internal Auditing.
QMII has over 30 plus years propagated the importance of internal auditing and the need to have competent internal auditors. Any tragedy can be c...
27 Mar 2017
Not really, but it does require a new way of planning.
Risk-based thinking can be considered the fundamental change in ISO 9001:2015. Compared to ISO 9001:2008, where preventive action (PA) held a spot in the “act” phase of the plan, do, check, act (PDCA) cycle, risk now appears in the “plan” phase and at each stage thereafter. This change formalizes an idea that has been around since...
15 Mar 2016
Objective auditing has always been a challenge, and this is especially true now for ISO 9001:2015 audits.
To better meet customer expectations, fundamental changes have been introduced to the standard to address current business realities and advancements in technology. Much of the responsibility of meeting the new requirements falls on leaders, and a careful, objective audit to the ...
23 Dec 2014
Some processes may be proactively designed and updated, but many just evolve. In either case, when leaders allow the systems (in which the processes operate) not to deliver the necessary direction, information, resources and controls, these “starved” processes fail to add value. This article examines how process failure impacts quality management systems.
Process Failure = Le...
