The standard covers all aspects an organisation’s activities, including: identifying its key processes, defining roles and responsibilities, its policies & objectives, risk and opportunities and documentation requirements. It also covers the importance of understanding & meeting customer requirements, satisfaction and communication, resource requirements. Product & process planning, design processes, purchasing, production & service, monitoring and measurement of products & processes, internal audit, management review, and improvement processes.

ISO 9001 is based on the following eight Quality Management Principles, which are incorporated within the requirements of the standard, and can be applied to improve organizational performance:

– Customer focus,
– Leadership
– Engagement of people
– Process approach
– Improvement
– Evidence basis decision making
– Relationship management
– Continual improvement
– Factual decision-making approach
– Mutually beneficial supplier relationships