The 7 Quality Management Principles as per ISO 9001

August 15, 2024

The ISO 9001:2015 quality management system standard is founded on seven core principles, crafted by experts from ISO/TC 176. These principles are essential for building a robust quality management system and serve as a universal foundation influencing various quality standards across industries. Each principle embodies a fundamental belief or rule that significantly impacts how quality management practices are developed and implemented.

It is important to note that these principles are not listed in priority order; their relative importance may vary from one organization to another and can evolve over time. The principles are a set of fundamental beliefs, norms, rules, and values that are universally accepted and can guide an organization’s performance improvement efforts.

7 Quality Management Principles

The primary focus of quality management is to meet customer requirements and strive to exceed their expectations. Achieving sustained success hinges on attracting and retaining customer confidence. Each customer interaction offers an opportunity to create additional value. By understanding both current and future needs, organizations can ensure their ongoing success and build a strong reputation.

Why It Matters?

- Increases customer value and satisfaction
- Enhances customer loyalty and repeat business
- Improves organizational reputation and expands the customer base
- Boosts revenue and market share

Read more about the Customer Focus principle.

Leaders at all levels establish unity of purpose and direction, creating conditions in which people are engaged in achieving the organization’s quality objectives. Effective leadership aligns an organization’s strategies, policies, processes, and resources. This alignment fosters an environment where employees are motivated to achieve quality objectives and contributes to organizational success.

Why It Matters?

- Increases effectiveness in meeting quality objectives
- Improves coordination and communication within the organization
- Enhances the capability and performance of the organization and its people

Read more about the Leadership principle.

Competent, empowered, and engaged individuals at all levels are essential for enhancing the organization’s ability to create and deliver value. Employee engagement and empowerment are critical for achieving organizational goals. When people understand the organization's quality objectives and feel motivated to contribute, it leads to greater involvement in improvement activities and fosters a collaborative work environment.

Why It Matters?

- Enhances understanding and motivation towards quality objectives
- Fosters personal development and creativity
- Builds trust, collaboration, and satisfaction among employees

Read more about Engagement of People principle.

Consistent and predictable results are achieved more effectively and efficiently when activities are understood and managed as interrelated processes within a unified system. A quality management system consists of interrelated processes. Understanding these processes and their interactions helps optimize system performance and enhance overall efficiency.

Why It Matters?

- Improves focus on key processes and opportunities for enhancement
- Delivers consistent and predictable outcomes through aligned processes
- Optimizes performance with efficient resource use and reduced cross-functional barriers

Read more about the Process Approach principle.

Successful organizations continuously focus on improvement. Ongoing improvement is vital for maintaining performance levels, adapting to changes, and seizing new opportunities. A focus on both incremental and breakthrough improvements helps organizations stay competitive and innovative.

Why It Matters?

- Enhances process performance and customer satisfaction
- Improves the ability to anticipate and address risks and opportunities
- Boosts innovation and learning for continuous improvement

Read more about the Improvement principle.

Decisions based on the analysis and evaluation of data and information are more likely to produce desired results. Effective decision-making relies on understanding cause-and-effect relationships and using evidence to guide choices. This approach reduces uncertainty and enhances objectivity and confidence in the outcomes.

Why It Matters?

- Enhances decision-making processes and operational effectiveness
- Improves assessment and review of process performance
- Increases ability to demonstrate past decision effectiveness

Read more about the Evidence Based Decision Making.

For sustained success, an organization must manage its relationships with interested parties, such as suppliers, partners, investors, employees and local communities. Managing relationships with stakeholders optimizes their impact on organizational performance. Effective relationship management ensures a well-functioning supply chain and fosters a mutual understanding of goals and values.

Why It Matters?

- Enhances performance through collaborative relationships
- Improves management of quality-related risks and shared resources
- Ensures a stable supply chain and adds value for stakeholders

Read more about the Relationship Management principle.

Harmonizing Excellence: How the 7 Core Principles of Quality Management Work Together for Superior Results

The 7 Core Principles of Quality Management according to ISO 9001:2015 provide a robust framework for achieving and sustaining excellence in any organization. Each principle, while essential on its own, interacts synergistically with the others to create a comprehensive approach to quality management.

Customer Focus drives the commitment to meet and exceed customer expectations, setting the foundation for Leadership to guide and align efforts towards achieving quality objectives. Engagement of People ensures that every individual in the organization is empowered and motivated, contributing to a collective pursuit of excellence.

The Process Approach integrates these efforts by managing activities as interconnected processes, leading to Improvement through continuous enhancement and adaptation. Evidence-Based Decision Making grounds decisions in data, enhancing the effectiveness of all other principles. Finally, Relationship Management optimizes interactions with stakeholders, ensuring that external and internal relationships support the organization's quality goals.

Together, these principles form a cohesive system that drives performance, fosters innovation, and ensures long-term success. By understanding and implementing these principles in unison, organizations can build a resilient and agile quality management system that not only meets but exceeds the expectations of stakeholders.

In essence, embracing these principles in a coordinated manner allows organizations to navigate complexities, adapt to changing conditions, and consistently deliver value. As you integrate these principles into your quality management practices, you’ll be well-equipped to achieve excellence and sustain competitive advantage across various industries and standards.

Enhance Your Quality Management with SGS in the Middle East

Our expert team, located across key Middle East countries such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, Lebanon, Pakistan, and Türkiye, is ready to assist you with comprehensive ISO 9001 audits. We offer gap assessments and benchmarking to thoroughly evaluate your current quality management systems, providing you with actionable insights and tailored guidance to achieve continuous improvement and excellence in quality management.

Additionally, through the SGS Academy, we offer specialized ISO 9001 training programs designed to meet your organization's specific needs, ensuring you’re fully prepared for certification.

Fill out our contact form to connect with our quality management experts and take the next step towards enhancing your quality management system.

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