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03/06/2019 By admin

Who’s Interested in a Party? A deep dive into clause 4.2 Understanding the needs and expectations of interested parties

Today’s blog is going to take a deeper dive into clause 4.2 of the ISO standards – 4.2 Understanding the needs and expectations of interested parties (aka stakeholders – why the change in terminology we aren’t sure but perhaps being interested in a party has more appeal than holding a steak!). Note: a sample/template Interested Parties Register is available by clicking 4.2 Interested Parties Register.

This clause has solidified its place in the ISO standards and is featured in (but is not limited to) the following standards:

  • ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Systems
  • ISO 45001:2018 Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems (although the clause is listed as Understanding the needs and expectations of workers and other interested parties – putting workers first),
  • ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management Systems,
  • ISO 55001 Asset Management (although the clause is listed as Understanding the needs and expectations of stakeholders),
  • ISO 50001 Energy Management Systems,
  • ISO 27001:2013 Information Security Management Systems

It is interesting that this clause is featured so prominently, at the beginning of the standards right in between 4.1 Organisational Context and 4.3 Scope. No doubt the assumption is that in order to develop the management system to satisfy all parties and fulfill all requirements, an organisation must first determine who those parties are, and define their needs and expectations. Once this has been done, the outcome of the management system must appropriately fulfill the needs and expectations as documented.

What does clause 4.2 Understanding the needs and expectations of interested parties require?

Across all of the standards listed above the very first requirement under 4.2a is to determine the interested parties that are relevant to the management system – the people, companies, organisations, authorities, and groups that interface with the organisation. Pretty straight forward – who are they? This information is usually gathered through cross-functional brainstorming, with actual interested parties varying based on the context of the organization and the scope of activities.

Typically the interested parties include:

  • Certification Bodies
  • Shareholders / Owners
  • Management
  • Employees
  • Suppliers and Subcontractors
  • Partners
  • Clients
  • Competitors
  • Government agencies
  • Finance
  • Insurance
  • Emergency Services
  • Landlords
  • Neighbours
  • Members of Public
  • Unions
  • Utilities and Service Providers
  • Media
  • Regulators
  • any other person or organization interested in the organisation

Now that you have a list of the interested parties applicable to the organisation, you are in a position to define clause 4.2b the relevant needs and expectations (requirements) of these interested parties. This could be achieved internally through brainstorming, or you could consider obtaining external input to more accurately identify the Voice of Interested Party (VoIP) / Voice of Customer (VoC) through surveys or interviews.

Next to each interested party clearly define what their requirements are – what are their needs (what must we do for them?) and what are their expectations (what are they expecting of us?).

Following this, we recommend reviewing the needs and expectations as documented to determine which of these is currently, or could become a legal requirement. This requirement is not consistent through the ISO standards above however it does feature in most and follows best practice. Many of the standards above also include specific requirements related to the context of the standard ie ISO 55001 Asset Management requires the identification of stakeholder requirements to record information relevant to asset management. These requirements must also be addressed when developing your Interested Parties Register.

What then?

Once the Interested Parties Register has been developed, you may like to use the information as an input when developing SMARTER Quality Objectives – defining what performance targets and results are necessary to deliver to meet the needs and expectations of relevant interested parties.

The Interested Parties Register should also be taken into consideration during the development of the Strategic Plan and risk management framework, with risks of not meeting the needs and expectations and include in the Quality Risk Register (along with controls – mitigation strategies etc) if applicable.

Set and forget?

Definitely not- clause 4.2 Understanding the needs and expectations of interested parties requires the information related to interested parties is monitored and reviewed, with an implication that they will be maintained and current. Based on this we recommend a review of interested parties as a standing agenda item at Management Review Meetings. Additionally, interested parties could also be reviewed as part of 6.3 Planning of Changes to ensure changes do not have an adverse effect on existing interested parties, or introduce new interested parties as a result of the changes.

How Streamline can help

Streamline ISO Consultants can design, develop and implement a certification-ready Quality Management System from the ground up to meet ISO 9001 requirements. If you already have an existing management system in place we will help you integrate ISO 9001:2015 into your current management system (eg ISO 45001 Safety or ISO 14001 Environmental) to form an Integrated Management System (IMS).

ISO 9001 2015

Our trained and experienced ISO Consultants have a 100% track record achieving certification for our clients and we guarantee your ISO 9001:2015 quality management system will get certified by a JAS-ANZ accredited Certification Body.

Contact Us Today

If you’d like more information, or to request a Quick Quote please use the form to the right and one of our consultants will contact you within one business day. Alternatively, you are welcome to contact us directly by phone or by emailing [email protected]

About the Author – Scott Bishop

Scott Bishop

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: #9001QMS, #certification, #howmuchdoesitcosttogetiso9001certified, #howtoimplementiso9001, #howtotransistionfromiso9001, #iso14001, #iso45001, #iso55001, #iso9001, #ISO90012015, #iso9001certificationaustralia, #iso9001context, #iso9001policies, #iso9001procedures, #ISO9001QualityManagementSystems, #iso9001scope, #ISO9001sections, #iso9001successfactors, #iso9001version2008, #ISOConsultant, #QualityAssurance, #qualityconsultant, #QualityManagementSystems, #risksofiso9001, #startingiso9001, #theimportanceofiso9001, #whatarethesuccessfactorsofiso9001, #whatisiso9001, #whatisiso90012015, #whatisiso9001training, #whatisiso9001version2008, #whatisthelatestversionofiso9001, #whyisiso9001important, #whyiso9001isimportant, iso50001

22/05/2019 By admin

Local Government Quality Management Systems

Why should local governments consider ISO 9001 and ISO 18091?

This article investigates the requirements and applicability of ISO and ISO 18091 to Local Government Quality Management Systems and the standards can provide a roadmap for comprehensive organisation and provide empowerment to local governments to take action and provide a high level of service delivery.

Traditionally government institutions have not been held to the same performance benchmarks as the private sector which has lead to inefficient and costly service delivery. On top of this, the nature of government means the senior leadership frequently changes – “Mobility of top management“ which is one of Deming’s seven deadly diseases of management (Deming 1982 ‘Out of the Crisis’ Chapter 3). Modern ratepayers have an expectation that the money they pay in rates is used efficiently to deliver timely and effective services.

How Quality Management Systems can help Local Governments

ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 18091:2019 provide a framework to ensure local government quality management systems address:

  1. Training, competency, and knowledge of personnel,
  2. Process formalisation and optimisation,
    local government qms
  3. Customer focus including complaints and compliments,
  4. Risk management including all aspects of identification, analysis, evaluation, treatment, implementation, communication, monitoring and reporting,
  5. Fraud and corruption control framework including policies, procedures and Quality Objectives,
  6. Strategic planning including goals and supporting objectives,
  7. Senior leadership change management, and
  8. Corrective action and continual improvement,

Note: due to the risks facing local government, we recommend the Quality Management System is developed in alignment with AS 8001:2008 Fraud and corruption control and ISO 31000:2018 Risk Management.

Summary

Certification to ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Systems demonstrates local governments are committed to efficiently delivering the best possible services to their ratepayers and community, and that they have robust systems in place to provide a framework for managing changes in management, addressing risk and facilitating continual improvement.

How Streamline can help

Streamline ISO Consultants can help local governments by providing consultancy services to help design, implement and internally audit a Quality Management System to comply with ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems.

ISO 9001 2015

Our trained and experienced consultants have a 100% track record achieving certification for our clients and we guarantee your ISO 9001:2015 quality management system will get certified by a JAS-ANZ accredited Certification Body.

Contact Us Today

If you’d like more information, or to request a Quick Quote please use the form to the right and one of our consultants will contact you within one business day. Alternatively, you are welcome to contact us directly by emailing [email protected] or by calling:

  • Brisbane 07 3667 8280
  • Sydney 02 8315 7780
  • Melbourne 03 9034 3990

We look forward to hearing from you and answering any questions you may have.

#localgovernmentqms #iso9001government #localgovernmentquality #governmentqualityconsultant #localgovernmentcertification #certification #qualityconsultant #governmentconsultant #iso9001

Australian Local Government Association

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: #certification, #governmentconsultant, #governmentqualityconsultant, #iso9001, #iso9001government, #localgovernmentcertification, #localgovernmentqms, #localgovernmentquality, #qualityconsultant

22/05/2019 By admin

Quality Quote

“If you keep cutting corners, eventually you will end up going in circles” – Author unknown.Keep going in circles

#Continualimprovement #ISO9001 #Qualityconsultant #qualityquote

Filed Under: Articles, Quality Quote Tagged With: #Continualimprovement, #iso9001, #qualityconsultant, #qualityquote

13/05/2019 By admin

Looking for an ISO 9001 Consultant? Check the 10 Key Requirements First!

If you’re thinking about ISO 9001 certification then you are probably considering whether or not to engage an ISO 9001 Consultant to help develop, implement and internally audit the Quality Management System. Do you really need help?

The answer is as follows:

If you have in-house resources with the relevant experience and competence to build a best practice management system to meet the requirements of ISO 9001:2015 then there is every chance you may not need to engage an ISO Consultant to help build your management system. You could simply engage a Certification Body to undertake a Stage 1 documentation audit and action any Improvement Requirements prior to the Stage 2 Audit (certification audits are done in two stages).

ISO 9001 Quality Consultant

If, on the other hand, you want a fully documented, best practice management system, that has been developed in alignment with your existing business processes (making the standard work for the business instead of the business working to the standard)  AND a guarantee that you will be certified first time, every time, then you should engage the services of an experienced, qualified ISO 9001 Consultant.

Remember: ISO 9001 provides a framework for continual improvement, and badly designed Quality Management Systems can introduce excessive administrative overheads (for example extra processes, a barrage of unnecessary forms etc) that act like a hand-brake on the business – definitely not an improvement.

Government Funding Grants for ISO 9001 Certification

Did you know that many Australian businesses are actually eligible for help with ISO 9001 Certification through a government-funded Business Growth Grant? Click HERE for more information.

10 key requirements to check for when choosing an ISO 9001 Consultant

Engaging an ISO 9001 Consultant can mean a significant financial and time investment for your business, so it is important to choose the right one. Check the ten key requirements below before signing off on any proposals or contracts.

ISO Consultant decision time frame: 5 days.

The ten key requirements to check before you engage an ISO 9001 Consultant

  1. ISO Certification – do they actually hold ISO 9001 certification themselves?

    Ensure they are certified by a JAS-ANZ Accredited Certification Body

  2. ISO Certification Consultant qualifications

    Have they completed any formal training and are they qualified to be offering consultancy services?

  3. Can they offer a Certified First Time, Every Time, Guarantee?

    Streamline ISO Consultants work as part of your team to deliver bespoke, compliant (100% success rate) and cost-effective management systems that put your organisation on the path to continual improvement and business excellence.

  4. Industry experience – how long have they been consulting for?

    What industries have they consulted to previously?

  5. Experience designing ISO management systems to businesses of your size

    Small, medium, large and enterprise Quality Management Systems can look very different.

  6. Knowledge of lean methods

    Ensure the developed ISO management system improves business performance and does not stifle it.

  7. Insurances – Professional Indemnity and Public Liability

    Do they hold Public Liability and Professional indemnity insurance?

  8. Client Referrals

    Do they have an extensive list of satisfied, repeat and long-term clients that are happy to provide glowing testimonials?

  9. Certification Body Referrals

    Can a number of JAS-ANZ accredited certification bodies attest to the quality of the management systems and consultancy services offered?

  10. Time in the industry

    How long has the ISO Consultant been in business (beware of fly-by-nighters)?

  11. Understanding of technology

    Are they able to set up the management system using cloud-based software solutions or tailor the management system to align with your existing software platforms?

    ISO Consultant Checklist

For a free downloadable ISO Consultant Checklist CLICK HERE

What to watch out for when choosing an ISO 9001 Consultant

ISO 9001 Consultants that have worked in a “Quality” or “Safety” role within a large organisation. This does not necessarily mean they are able to design a good small to medium business Management System. In fact, sometimes this results in a rebadged, overweight quality management system that the small business will struggle to support.

If an ISO consultant insists you choose a specific certification body then alarm bells should start ringing. This may mean that the consultant and the Certification Body have some sort of financial or beneficial relationship which can result in a number of conflict of interest issues including:

  • the system might be deficient and the ISO 9001 audit could be completed softly due to the relationship between consultant and auditor (a problem that may not present now but may cause problems if/when you change Certification Bodies), or
  • you may be paying too much for the Certification Body audit.

Always make sure:

  • you choose a JAS-ANZ accredited Certification Body (we recommend obtaining a few proposals – SEE HERE for more information),
  • you aren’t locked into a specific Certification Body just because you engage an ISO consultant.

How Streamline can help

Streamline ISO 9001 Consultants can design, develop and implement a certification-ready Quality Management System from the ground up to meet ISO 9001 requirements. If you already have an existing management system in place we will help you integrate ISO 9001:2015 into your current management system (eg ISO 45001 Safety or ISO 14001 Environmental) to form an Integrated Management System (IMS).

ISO 9001 2015

Our trained and experienced ISO Certification Consultants have a 100% track record achieving certification for our clients and we guarantee your ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System will get certified by a JAS-ANZ accredited Certification Body.

Streamline ISO Certification Consultants can also help develop, implement and internally audit other ISO Management Systems such as:

  • ISO 45001 Occupational Health & Safety
  • ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems
  • ISO 50001 Energy Management Systems
  • ISO 55001 Asset Management Systems
  • ISO 17025 Testing & Calibration for Laboratories
  • ISO 27001 Information Security
  • ISO 22000 HACCP Food Safety

Contact Us Today

Please use the form to the right and one of our ISO Consultants will contact you within one business day. Alternatively, you are welcome to contact us directly by emailing [email protected] or by calling:

  • Brisbane ISO Consultants 07 3667 8280
  • Sydney ISO Consultants 02 8315 7780
  • Melbourne ISO Consultants 03 9034 3990

More Information

  • If you still aren’t sure whether or not you need an ISO 9001 Consultant then it may be worth completing a Gap Analysis Audit.
  • For information on what is required for ISO 9001 Certification CLICK HERE
  • To see what ISO 9001 Certification Costs CLICK HERE
  • Did you know our ISO Consultants can also help with Smartsheet solutions for ISO Certification? For more information CLICK HERE
  • Feeling overwhelmed and just need some straight answers? Check our FAQ’s page HERE

Filed Under: Articles, Consultant, Featured Tagged With: #9001QMS, #certification, #howmuchdoesitcosttogetiso9001certified, #iso9001, #ISO90012015, #iso9001constulant, #iso9001consultant, #iso9001consultants, #iso9001context, #iso9001policies, #iso9001scope, #ISO9001sections, #iso9001successfactors, #ISOConsultant, #isoconsultants, #qaconsultant, #qaconsultants, #QMSConsultant, #QMSHelp, #qualityconsultant, #qualityconsultants, #risksofiso9001, #startingiso9001, #theimportanceofiso9001, #whatarethesuccessfactorsofiso9001

True ISO Professionals, don’t go past Streamline

Streamline ISO Consultants set up our Quality and Environmental Management System in 2011, and still help us out today with internal auditing and management system upgrades.

Having ISO 9001 & 14001 Certification is great but their simple and practical Integrated Management System adds real value to our business - much more than just an ISO Certificate.

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Clearly experts in this field

"We worked with Streamline ISO Consultants on a gap analysis audit of both our Quality and Work, Health and Safety systems. They provided us with a detailed report and specific goals to improve our compliance. We were very happy with the recommendations. The service provided was flexible and responsive. Scott is clearly an expert in this field."

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Rob Miles
Compliance Manager - Suncare Community Services

Very professional - Streamline did a great job

Streamline ISO Consultants have a professional approach and did a great job preparing our QMS documentation and providing training. I would recommend them to anyone who is looking for assistance with their ISO Certification. Thanks once again to the Streamline Team!

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Sydney NSW 2000
Phone: 02 8315 7780
Email: [email protected]

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Melbourne, Victoria 3000
Phone: 03 9034 3990
Email: [email protected]

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Who's Interested in a Party?
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