An entrepreneur who cares about running his or her company effectively should have clearly defined goals to achieve. A quality policy, i.e. the practice of applying a value management system in an organisation, can help to set and implement them. Why create such a policy and what are the benefits - we explain in the article below.
Quality policy - what is it?
Most often, the quality policy is understood as a succinctly elaborated set of the main theses related to the company's quality management. In other words, it is about such issues which are to support the company's development strategy and constitute a commitment for the management to continuously improve the quality management system. It is therefore a declaration containing the main principles that the company wishes to follow in its development. The quality policy should be established, implemented and maintained (adhered to) by the management of the company. The implementation of a quality policy is one of the requirements of ISO 9001:2015, the international standard that defines the general framework for quality management in any organisation.
What functions does the quality policy fulfil?
The quality policy has several functions within a company. Firstly, for the management (e.g. the organisation's board of directors), it is the basis for setting goals and objectives in the processes carried out, as well as the starting point for defining a framework for improvement. For staff, it has a communication function, as it allows them to better understand the company's strategy, mission, goals and objectives. For customers, on the other hand, having a quality policy demonstrates the company's credibility and attention to its image. 
Quality policy - what must it contain?
In the aforementioned ISO 9001:2015 standard, there are provisions that clearly indicate what should be in an organisation's quality policy and what features it should fulfil. In the quality policy document, the introduction should include a few sentences about the company - what it does, how long it has been operating, in which market, what distinguishes it from its competitors. Further entries should refer to this specific company, be personalised - not generic slogans that could be reproduced in the description of any organisation.
The next subsections of the document should:
- include a declaration that the quality policy supports its strategic direction,
- be the framework for establishing quality objectives,
- include a commitment to meet the requirements of ISO 9001,
- include a commitment to continual improvement of the quality management system.
Moreover, the quality policy should be:
- documented (i.e. drawn up in the form of a document, signed by the company's management),
- communicated (understood and applied in the organisation - management is to inform employees of the formulation of such a policy and communicate its message to them in an understandable way),
- available to interested parties (i.e. made available, for example, on a website).
Why is a quality policy created?
A quality policy is mainly created to meet international standards for the quality of business operations. It is also the basis for setting goals and objectives within the company. The idea is that it should be a viable guide to managing the quality of the business conducted.
Through the quality policy, employees can better know and understand the main mission and objectives adopted by the company's management. It is also an opportunity to concisely present the strategy in a long-term perspective. It is a clear and open commitment on the part of the company's management to meet the requirements described in the standards, as well as to further improve the quality management system.
For customers, a company with a quality policy is an entity that cares about its image and its credibility. It is also a declaration that the company wants and will continue to meet the needs and expectations of its customers. Furthermore, the quality policy is the basis for setting goals and objectives related to the quality management system; it is a guideline for making strategic decisions, including long-term, multi-year ones. The quality policy builds the company's internal culture and promotes the involvement of employees in the value of the whole company. It is also an important marketing element - used to build the company's image as committed to quality.
Good practice when developing a quality policy
The quality policy should be a real indicator of the company's application of the quality management system. It is a good idea for the document to contain personalised provisions relating to that particular company. In addition, the simpler the language and wording, the more comprehensible it is to all parties and, therefore, the easier it is to implement.
In summary, the quality policy is a document developed by the company's management, but it is good if it is developed in consultation with the employees and with the involvement of the company's quality management system representative. It is also important to remember to update the quality policy, e.g. if the company's business profile changes.
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