BS EN ISO 9001: 2000. Quality Management Systems.

ISO 9001 was the very first universally recognised management system standard. Adopted by over one million organisations in one hundred and seventy countries around the world.

The standard is based on eight quality management principles, which reflect best management practices. These principles are:

• customer focused organisations;
• leadership;
• involvement of people;
• process approach;
• system approach to management;
• continual improvement;
• factual approach to decision making;
• mutually beneficial supplier relationship.

There are many benefits to be gained; for example:

• improved productivity and efficiency, often leading to cost reductions;
• improved consistency of service/product performance and therefore, higher customer satisfaction levels;
• improved perception of the organisations image, culture and performance.
• improved communication, morale and job satisfaction - staff understand what is expected of them and each other and 
• competitive advantage and the potential for increased marketing and sales opportunities.

Within the European Union (EU), there is a potential marketplace of some 350-400 million people. In America the potential is similar and selling to these markets is an extremely competitive business which has meant an increased reliance on internationally agreed quality standards, processes and recommendations in order to gain a foothold in these markets.  This is where ISO 9001: 2000 Really proves its worth................