A quality policy statement is a written statement describing your organization's and its members' expectations. A quality policy helps everyone involved in producing goods and services understand the importance of quality and provides guidelines for achieving high quality. A quality policy is a statement of intent that outlines the philosophy behind implementing a quality management system. It establishes the foundation for developing quality programs and procedures and serves as a guideline for continuous improvement.
Purpose of Quality Policy
A well-written Quality Policy statement provides a clear vision of the company's commitment to its customers.
A Quality Policy helps define the expectations of the organization and its employees. It serves as a reference point for everyone involved in the organization.
It is the basis for establishing quality objectives and measuring performance against them.
It guides the implementation of the Quality Management System.
It communicates the values and beliefs of the organization. It sets out the policies and procedures that govern the organization's conduct.
It explains the corporate culture. It outlines the overall strategy of the organization. It articulates the vision and the strategic direction of the organization.
It establishes a set of principles upon which the organization is founded.
Developing Quality Policy Statement
The first step is to define what quality means for your organization. This will help you determine the scope of your policy and how it should be implemented.
The next step is to identify all the stakeholders affected by the policy, including customers, suppliers, employees, shareholders, and others.
Next, consider the purpose of the policy. What do you want to accomplish? How can this policy help you achieve those goals?
Finally, develop a draft of the policy.
Revise the draft until it clearly reflects the desired outcome.
Communicating Quality Policy
Once the policy has been developed, it must be communicated to all stakeholders. The key to communicating effectively is ensuring everyone understands the message.
Communication may take many forms, including:
• Written communication (e.g., newsletters, memos, letters)
• Oral communication (e.g. meetings, presentations, training sessions)
• Visual communication (e.g., posters, charts, graphs, diagrams)
In addition to communicating with stakeholders, the policy should be reviewed periodically to ensure it remains relevant.