ISO 9001:2008 vs. ISO 9001:2015 – Quality Policy

According to the ISO  9001 a quality policy is the general guidelines, intentions, and goals of the organization referring to quality defined and published by top management. The policy shall demonstrate what quality means to the organization: the intention to provide your customers with quality products according to defined requirements using a controlled system of processes and procedures. The system will be effective and subjected to constant improvement. But hear me now believe me later – some ground rules were broken to pieces regarding the quality policy of the ISO 9001:2015.

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Quality Management System – Quality Policy

2008:  5.3 Quality Policy 2015: 5.2 Quality Policy

Both Standards require:

  • Appropriability, applicability and suitability for the purpose of the organizations
  • Commitment to satisfy applicable requirements
  • Basis and framework for quality objectives
  • Documentation as information
  • Communication within the organization
  • Review for suitability

The accessibility of the quality policy is elaborated by the ISO 9001:2015 and requires availability to the interested parties as defined in chapter 4.2 – Understanding the needs and expectations of interested parties. In other words it will be required to define how these interested parties shall access the quality policy.

Another difference is that until the ISO 9001:2008 one could easily document the quality policy in the quality manual. But the ISO 9001:2015 does not require any quality manual. How one shall document the quality policy? Well, I am still thinking of it. We are going  to have to be creative on this one.

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