The management review is a management tool in the hands of the top management for evaluating the QMS. It is one method (among others) dictated by the standard for monitoring the QMS and evaluating its performances and effectiveness. The management review is an activity usually performed as a meeting where representatives of the top management are presented with data and information regarding the performances of the QMS. The objective of the review is to give the top management a chance to periodically evaluate the QMS. Let us review the ISO 9001 Standard requirements.
9.3.1 General
- Top management shall review the QMS at defined intervals.
- The review shall be planned in advance.
- The review shall ensure the consecutive suitability, adequacy, and effectiveness of the QMS.
- The review shall ensure that the QMS is planned with alignment to the strategy of the organization.
Goal of the Management Review
The ISO 9001 Standard clearly specifies the goal of the management review—to ensure its continuing suitability, adequacy, effectiveness, and alignment with the strategic direction of the organization of the QMS. Let us interpret it:
- The strategic direction of the organization was determined while discussing the context of the organization and should be documented (e.g., in the quality manual in case you are still choosing to maintain one). In practice, you may review the quality policy in order to ensure its suitability to the purpose of the organization.
- To ensure the continuing suitability of the QMS refers to the review whether characteristics of the QMS are appropriate for their objectives.
- To ensure the adequacy of the QMS refers to the review whether the QMS can act correctly in order to fulfill its requirements and achieve its objectives.
- To ensure the effectiveness of the QMS refers to extent of achievement of quality objectives.
Participants of the Management Review
Participants of the management review are clearly defined by the standard—the top management. But who is considered as the top management? According to the ISO 9000, the top management consists of persons or group of people who direct and control an organization at the highest level. To this definition I choose to add a person or a group of persons who have the authority to appoint resources for the QMS. But when the scope of the QMS refers only to a part of the organization, for example, the logistic center or the service center, the top management is not considered as the board of directors of the whole organization but the organizational role who steers and directs the logistic center or the service center. This fact makes it simpler to define the relevant top management.
This webpage contains only a fragment of the chapter 9.3 Management review from the book: ISO 9001: 2015 – A Complete Guide to Quality Management Systems published by:
Why choose the book ISO 9001:2015?
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