The initial attainment of accreditation to international standards is, quite rightly, a notable achievement and something to be very proud of. It takes an incredible amount of focus, hard work and commitment to ‘get over the line’ and any organisation that receives their grant of accreditation has clearly demonstrated their competence and should be congratulated.
What is equally important is to recognise and understand that the grant of accreditation signifies that you are at the start of your quality journey, one that in essence has no end point, and requires you to keep moving forwards ensuring that not only do you retain your accreditation but that you also develop and demonstrate continual improvement.
Continual improvement is the very essence of quality management. The world does not stand still, what was suitable last year may no longer be fit for purpose. Organisations must grow and develop to keep up with their commercial and client requirements and of course, the advancement of technology is unbelievably rapid. All of these factors pose challenges to your quality management operations, challenges that must be addressed if your accreditation is to be maintained. Extensions to Scope will be required to keep pace with emerging trends and assure the efficacy of your quality management system.
We understand that this may be a daunting concept, especially for those organisations who are new to the world of quality management, accreditations and certifications. Our experience has shown that over time, when the maintenance and continual improvement of your QMS becomes business as usual, you will realise the benefits of a robust QMS. Benefits that include improved working practices, a higher level of customer satisfaction and operational efficiencies.