Published in: ISO Standards

Leadership & ISO 9001:2015

Author Rowan St Clair

Published on: September 28, 2023

ISO 9001:2015 (QMS) is one of the most widely recognised and implemented quality management standards worldwide.

It provides a framework for organisations to demonstrate their commitment to consistently providing products and services that meet customer and regulatory requirements.

The “Leadership” clause in ISO 9001:2015 refers to Clause 5. This clause emphasises the role of top management in establishing and maintaining the quality management system. It outlines the specific responsibilities and actions that top management must take to ensure the QMS is effective and aligned with the organisation’s strategic objectives.

Here are some of the key points covered in the Leadership clause (Clause 5) of ISO 9001:2015:

1. Leadership and Commitment: Top management is required to demonstrate leadership and commitment to the QMS by establishing policies, objectives, and ensuring that quality is a priority within the organisation.
2. Customer Focus: Top management must ensure that customer needs and expectations are determined and met to enhance customer satisfaction.
3. Quality Policy: Top management is responsible for establishing a quality policy that provides a framework for setting quality objectives and must communicate it within the organisation.
4. Organisational Roles, Responsibilities, and Authorities: Top management is responsible for defining and communicating roles, responsibilities, and authorities within the organisation to ensure the QMS functions effectively.
5. Planning: Top management is required to ensure that the planning of the QMS is carried out to meet the organisation’s quality objectives and strategic goals.
6. Support: Top management must provide the necessary resources, including personnel, infrastructure, and environment, to support the operation and monitoring of the QMS.
7. Performance Evaluation: Top management is responsible for ensuring that the QMS is monitored, measured, and evaluated to determine its effectiveness.
8. Improvement: Top management must promote a culture of continuous improvement within the organization and support activities aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of the QMS.

In summary, the Leadership clause in ISO 9001:2015 emphasises the crucial role of top management in establishing and maintaining an effective QMS. It requires them to demonstrate commitment, define roles and responsibilities, set policies and objectives, allocate resources, and promote a culture of quality within the organisation. This helps ensure that the QMS aligns with the organisation’s overall strategic direction and objectives.

Further information

You can purchase a copy of ISO 9001:2015 at the ISO Store – ISO 9001:2015 – Quality management systems – Requirements

The comprehensive checklist will assist in your preparation for an external certification visit from the team at Adaptive – Certification Guides & Minimum Requirements (adaptivecert.com.au)

The most asked questions we get at Adaptive Certifications can be found on our website – FAQs | Adaptive Certifications | Australia

If you have a specific question not covered, we would love to hear from you – About Us | Adaptive Certifications | Certification Provider | Australia.