How ISO 9001 Improve Management Of Your Company?

Regardless of the size of a business, management plays an important role in keeping it alive. This is why a lot of businesses these days try to implement solid management frameworks to keep things running as smooth as possible. Without proper management, it would be difficult for a business to carry out projects and produce high-quality products. In many countries, businesses usually fail because of inefficient management systems.

Created by a group consisting of representatives of local standards organizations from different countries around the world, ISO 9001 can greatly improve the production output by renovating the way a business is operated. Careful documentation is implemented, providing managers with a better overall view of their businesses. It also helps in keeping the workers motivated, and it improves the efficiency of business processes by minimizing losses and expenses attributed to defective products or other liabilities.

ISO 9001 contains a series of business and management prerequisites that help a company to keep up with international standards. Upon successful implementation, an ISA registrar will issue a certification as proof that a business meets all the business specifications set by ISO 9001.

The ISO 9001 standard is applicable to any kind of business, department, or branch that wants to improve the way it operates. However, by implementing ISO 9001 in an entire company instead of a single branch, a company can get the most out of the quality management system. With the entire business system working uniformly, any business will be able to see significant improvements in overall production and income.

The good thing about ISO 9001 is that it is a highly compatible standard. This means businesses with existing standards, such as one that has ESD 20:20 certification, can further optimize their profits without having to perform too much management restructuring, potentially saving lots of time and resources. Existing standards, combined with ISO 9001, even become more effective.

Any business interested in streamlining their operations should get a copy of the ISO 9001 standard. Although not all points in the standard are required to be eligible for certification, implementing them all ensures a company will get the most out of the standard.

Visit http://www.iso9001store.com for more information.

What Are The Differences Of ISO 9001 And ISO 14001?

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is a managing body that was founded to provide quality and environmental management systems to industries across the world. The ISO 14001 and ISO 9001 standards are accreditations that are issued to organizations that meet or exceed the criteria set by the ISO. The certifications, which differ in criteria, have been proven to increase profitability and commercial status for the holding parties.

Some of the core differences between ISO 14001 and ISO 9001 stem from the criteria covered by each standard. As a quality management certification, ISO 9001 is awarded based on set standards being met in key areas. These areas include quality management systems, management responsibility, resource management, and how quality performance is measured, analyzed, and improved.

The standard ISO 14001 is an environmental management certification that is designed to assist organizations as they develop in-house environmental management systems. This standard is based on a model of continual improvement, which differentiates it from the fixed criteria that must be met to be awarded ISO 9001 accreditation. For an organization to achieve the certification, it must develop an ISO 14001-compliant environmental management system through a process of planning objectives, implementing processes, measuring and monitoring the processes, and improving the system based on the results of the monitoring stage.

As a part of ISO 14001 accreditation, a continual improvement process (CIP) is required. This CIP is based on expanding the environmental management system across all sectors of the business, using the system to enrich other processes and improving over time by continual monitoring. Many organizations seek to be awarded both ISO 14001 and ISO 9001 certification as it demonstrates a high overall standard of quality and environmental management structures.

The scope of each standard is what defines the differences between ISO 14001 and ISO 9001. The routes to accreditation and methods of maintaining the systems once certification has been achieved are similar across both standards. Both ISO 14001 and ISO 9001 standards can be applied for once a compliant management system has been implemented following the ISOguidelines. An intensive external audit will be required for either standard with an additional internal audit required for ISO 9001.

Both ISO 14001 and ISO 9001 are measures of the processes used by an organization, not the end product. This means that a company that holds ISO 9001 accreditation can still produce a poor end product providing the correct paperwork is in place and the quality is consistent. Similarly, ISO 14001 certification simply means that there is a system in place to meet that organization’s specific environmental targets.

Read more on ISO 9001 Standards at http://www.iso9001store.com

ISO 9000 Document Management Software System

Today’s manufacturing companies that seek ISO 9001 compliance-(regardless of their motivation to do so) probably don’t find it that difficult to create intelligent documentation. After all, a few days with a good consultant or a quality manager can take care of document creation. The problem lies in the gap between what employees are doing and what employees are supposed to be doing (in terms of adhering to documentation) and the gap between the manner in which processes are being implemented and the manner in which they should be implemented ( in accordance with documentation). In other words, the problem lies in the way processes are strategized and applied and in the way employees commit to standards when compared against existing documentation. How can a company overcome these issues? The answers may be simpler than you think.

Automation is the Answer for ISO Control
If your underlying processes are poorly strategized then an automated document management software system won’t be of much use. However, once the processes have been effectively planned (and applied) a document management software system can speed process-to-process management by leaps and bounds. Companies that automate not only to comply with ISO standards but to generate more revenue by performing less administrative labor save weeks and even years worth of time just by automating their processes and documentation control with a document management software system.

Making Amends
The right document management software system and ISO document control would also allow companies to find deviations and nonconformance events faster and move those events to resolution phases in a small fraction of the time they were originally routed—if they were routed at all. Some ISO 9000 document management software systems may even be combined with a CAPA QMS solution. This is especially valuable when determining the root cause of major to minor deviations.

A Document Management Software System and Employee Training
ISO standards do not require any type of automation but ISO standards lend themselves to automation in a way that’s quite remarkable. Take for instance the following document management requirements from the official ISO 9001 International Standard.

ISO 9001 Section 4.2.3
ISO standards make it clear that ISO 9001 “approved” companies must define (i.e., document) how they will approve documentation, how they will identify documentation changes, how they will update/reapprove revised documentation, how external documentation will be managed and how assurance will be provided that documentation will be available when it is required. 1 And that’s only a shadow of things to come! A document management software system designed for strict compliance can automate the approval of documentation, the identification of document changes, updates and reapproval notifications, external documentation management and high-level document security. Some solutions also integrate training and online exams as well.

How Much Could You Save?
Chances are high that automation will save you thousands, tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars annually depending on the size of your company. Just foregoing a typical document routing process (a manual process) can save many employees fruitless trips back and forth from one office to another. Who wouldn’t want to avoid those time consuming searches through 3-ring binders and lost documentation due to employee absence or neglect?

Conclusion
Regulation and control are the future for manufacturing. Gone are the days of free experimentation and a blind eye toward material waste. Today is the day of premeditated design, quality assurance and web-based automation. If your company plans to be, or already is, compliant with ISO 9001 standards why not consider automating those ISO 9001 controls with a document management software system.

Read more on ISO 9000 Software at http://www.iso9000-standards.com

The ISO 9001 & ISO 14001 Standards and the environment

The ISO 9001 & ISO 14001 Standards and the environment

The ISO 14000 family of International Standards on environmental management is a relative newcomer to ISO’s portfolio – but enviroment-related standardization is far from being a new departure for ISO.

In fact, ISO has two-pronged approach to meeting the needs of business, industry, governments, non-governmental organizations and consumers in the field of the environment.

On the one hand, it offers a wideranging portfolio of standardized sampling, testing and analytical methods to deal with specific environmental challenges. It has developed more than 350 International Standards (out of a total more
than 12000) for the monitoring of such aspects as the quality of air, water and soil. These standards are means of providing business and government with scientifically valid data on the environmental effects of economic activity.

They also serve in a number of countries as the technical basis for environmental regulations.

ISO is leading a strategic approach by developing environmental management system standards that can be implemented in any type of organization in either public or private sectors (companies, administration, public utilities). To spearhead this strategic approach, ISO establish a new technical commitee, ISO /TC 207, Environmental management, in

1993. This followed ISO’s successful pioneering experience in management system standardization with the ISO 9000 series for quality management.

ISO’s direct involvement in environmental management stemmed from an intensive consultation process, carried out within the framework of a Strategic Advisory Group on Environment (SAGE),set up in 1991, in which 20 countrie, 11 international organizations and more than 100 environmental experts participated in defining the basic requirements of a new approach to environment-related standards.

This pioneering work was consolidated with ISO’s commitment to support the objective of “sustainable development” dicussed at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro in 1992.

Today, delegations of business and government experts from 55 countries have participate actively within TC 207,

and another 16 countries have observer status. These delegations are chosen by the national standars institute concerned and they are required to bring to TC 207 a national consensus on issue being addressed by the commitee.

This national consensus is derived from a process of consultation with interested parties.

From its beginning, it was recognized that ISO/TC 207 should have close cooperation with ISO/TC 176, Quality management and quality assurance, in the areas of management systems, auditing and related terminology. Active efforts are under way to ensure compatibility of ISO environmental management and quality management standards, for the benefit of all organizations wishing to implement them.

Elements Of ISO 14001 Environmental Management System

Elements Of ISO 14001 Environmental Management System

ISO/DIS 14001 is one of a series of emerging international environmental management standardsaimed at promoting
continual improvement in company environmental performance through the adoption and implementation of an environmental management system. The (draft) standard specifies the core elements of an EMS, but contains only those elements that may be objectively audited for certification or self-declaration purposes. A companion guidance standard, ISO/DIS 14004 includes examples, descrïptions and options that aid in the implementation of an EMS and in integrating the EMS into overall management practices. It is not intended for use by certification/registration bodies.

ISO/DIS 14001 defines an overall environmental management system , closely modeled on the ISO 9000 quality systems standard , and covers the following key elements:

· Establishment of an appropriate environmental policy that is documented and communicated to employees and made available to the public, and which includes a commitment to continual improvement and pollution prevention, regulatory compliance and a framework for setting objectives;
· A planning phase that covers the identification of the environmental aspects of the organization’s activities, identification and access to legal requirements, establishment and documentation of objectives and targets consistent with the policy, and establishment of a program for achieving said targets and objectives (including the designation of responsible individuals, necessary means and timeframes);
· Implementation and operation of the EMS including the definition, documentation and communication of roles and responsibilities, provision of appropriate training, assurance of adequate internal and external communication, written management system documentation as well as appropriate document control procedures, documented procedures for operational controls, and documented and communicated emergency response procedures;
· Checking and corrective action procedures, including procedures for regular monitoring and measurement of key characteristics of the operations and activities, procedures for dealing with situations of non-conformity, specific record maintenance procedures and procedures for auditing the performance of the EMS;
· Periodic management reviews of the overall EMS to ensure its suitability, adequacy and effectiveness in light of changing circumstances.

The EMS as outlined in ISO 14001 provides a structured process for the achievement of continual improvement, the rate and extent of which is determined by the organization in light of economic and other circumstances. Although some improvement in environmental performance can be expected due to the adoption of a systematic approach, it should be understood that the EMS is a tool which enables the organization to achieve and systematically control the level of environmental performance that it sets itself. The establishment of an EMS will not, in itself, necessarily result in an immediate reduction of adverse environmental impact. Indeed, care needs to be taken that the mere establishment of an EMS does not lull the organization into a false sense of security. But effectively used, an EMS should enable an organization to improve its environmental performance and avoid or reduce adverse environmental impacts over time.

Why is Six Sigma Fascinating in ISO 9000?

Why is Six Sigma Fascinating in ISO 9001 Standards?

Six Sigma has become very popular throughout the whole world. There are several reasons for this popularity. First, it is regarded as a fresh quality management strategy which can replace TQC, TQM and others.

Many companies, which were not quite successful in implementing previous management strategies such as TQC and TQM, are eager to introduce Six Sigma.

Development process of Six Sigma in quality management

Six Sigma is viewed as a systematic, scientific, statistical and smarter (4S) approach for management innovation which is quite suitable for use in a knowledge-based information society.

Second, Six Sigma provides efficient manpower cultivation and utilization. It employs a “belt system” in which the levels of mastery are classified as green belt, black belt, master black belt and champion. As a person in a company obtains certain

training, he acquires a belt. Usually, a black belt is the leader of a project team and several green belts work together for the project team.

Third, there are many success stories of Six Sigma application in well known world-class companies. As mentioned earlier, Six Sigma was pioneered by Motorola and launched as a strategic initiative in 1987. Since then, and particularly from 1995, an exponentially growing number of prestigious global firms have launched a Six Sigma program. It has been noted that many globally leading companies run Six Sigma programs (see Figure 3), and it has been well known that Motorola, GE, Allied Signal, IBM, DEC, Texas Instruments, Sony, Kodak, Nokia, and Philips Electronics among others have been quite successful in Six Sigma. In Korea, the Samsung, LG, Hyundai groups and Korea Heavy Industries & Construction Company have been quite successful with Six Sigma.

Lastly, Six Sigma provides flexibility in the new millennium of 3Cs, which are:

• Change: Changing society

• Customer: Power is shifted to customer and customer demand is high

• Competition: Competition in quality and productivity

The pace of change during the last decade has been unprecedented, and the speed of change in this new millennium is perhaps faster than ever before. Most notably, the power has shifted from producer to customer. The producer-oriented industrial society is over, and the customer-oriented information society has arrived. The customer has all the rights to order, select and buy goods and services. Especially, in e-business, the customer has all-mighty power.

Six Sigma with its 4S (systematic, scientific, statistical and smarter) approaches provides flexibility in managing a business unit.

The Path to ERP for Small Businesses

When looking for business software, small companies might fall into the trap of being selected instead of selecting vendors. This usually happens because small companies do not allocate extensive time and resources to the process and do not have selection methodologies, which help decision makers select a product without further investigation.

Not every company takes advantage of a sound software selection methodology. The good news is that other companies have been through complex selection projects before, built sophisticated tools, and developed processes to make it solid, speedy, and successful. This article will broadly review the phases involved in a well-organized software selection methodology. Adhering to a sound methodology helps ensure that you select the right software rather than risk wasting money on all the problems that can arise down the road from a selection, which fails to meet the needs of your organization.

No matter which methodology you use, the process has three main phases: A) research, B) evaluation, and C) selection.

You know what your main activities are; therefore you should have a pretty good idea which processes the best ERP system for your organization should support. But, since there are several ways to do the same thing (e.g., picking and shipping), do you know which way is easier and more efficient for your organization? Remember, just because a process or workflow works well, it does not mean it’s the best way to do it. You should always find ways to improve a process or workflow.

To make sure you find the best ERP system for you company, you must first understand what processes are the most appropriate for your organization. Appropriate, in this case, means suitable for your industry, but also efficient for your company (sometimes processes are defined along the way by people who try to make their life easier, not always including the others) Defining workflows for the major activities of your company will help you better define what you should expect an ERP solution to do for your organization.

At the end of the research stage, you should have a pretty good idea of your company’s software requirements and also have a comprehensive list of sources of information where you can find what you need for the next stage—comparable vendors and products best suited for your organization.