Every day, in every way ….

ISO9004:2009 is the guidance document for ISO9001. It explains the paragraphs of the standard in reasonably plain English and takes the implementation of the standard beyond compliance. It’s not only an important standard for anyone implementing the ISO9001 quality standard, it also provides some really useful guidance for anyone who just wants to look at their business with fresh eyes and improve performance.

The standard defines eight key quality management principles that are fundamental to the success of any business:

  • Customer focus
  • Leadership
  • Involvement of people
  • Process approach
  • System approach to management
  • Continual improvement
  • Decision making based on facts
  • Mutually beneficial supplier relationships

Each month we take one of the principles and look at the key benefits and how they can be applied in any business.

Principle 6 – Continual Improvement

We are all familiar with the mantra ‘Every day, in every way I am getting better and better’. Attributed to the French pharmacist, Emile Coue in the 1920’s. the saying can be applied equally well to work. Continual improvement of an organisation’s overall performance should be a permanently objective for any company.

Applying the ISO9004 principles of continual improvement should lead to:

  • Employing a consistent organisation-wide approach to continual improvement of the organisation’s performance.
  • Providing people with training in the methods and tools of continual improvement.
  • Making continual improvement of products, processes and systems an objective for every individual in the organisation.
  • Establishing goals to guide, and measures to track, continual improvement.
  • Recognizing and acknowledging improvements.

Key benefits:

  • Performance advantage through improved organisational capabilities.
  • Alignment of improvement activities at all levels to an organisation’s strategic intent.
  • Flexibility to react quickly to opportunities.

To find out more about the principles of good quality management and how it can help your business drop us an email or call us on 0333 321 0131.

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