6.2 Quality Objectives and Planning to Achieve Them [ISO 9001 Template]

Setting Objectives and Targets

Setting objectives and targets should involve people from the relevant functional area(s). These people are well positioned to help establish, plan for, and achieve these targets. The involvement of people helps to build commitment and demonstrates positive leadership.

1. Get Top Management buy-into the quality objectives. This ensures that adequate resources are applied and that the objectives are integrated with other organizational goals;

2. In communicating objectives to employees, try to link the objectives to the actual quality improvements being sought, e.g. reducing non-conformances and closing out corrective actions, as this will give people something tangible to work towards;

3. The quality objectives must be consistent with the overall mission/plan and the key commitments established by your policy;

4. Be flexible with your objectives, define the desired result, then let the people responsible determine how to achieve the result;

5. Objectives can be established to maintain current levels of performance, or to improve performance;

6. Communicate your progress in achieving objectives and targets across the organization. Consider regular reports on this progress at staff meetings;

7. How many objectives and targets should an organization have? Various QMS implementation projects for small and medium-sized organizations indicate that it is best to start with a limited number of objectives (say, three to five) and then expand the list over time;

8. Keep your quality objectives simple initially, gain some early successes, and then build on them;

9. Keep in mind that your suppliers (of services or materials) can help you in meeting your objectives and targets (e.g., on-time-delivery).

Ensure that your organization has identified both internal and external issues and interested parties that are relevant and which support the strategic direction of your organization. The strategic direction must be utilized as an input to the policy, objectives, risk management, monitoring and measurement, and management review processes.

Auditors will expect to review a set of interrelated objectives, ensuring that they are mutually consistent and that they are aligned with the strategic direction of your organization.

The objectives and targets must be consistent with the QMS quality policy. Depending on the size, management structure, and other factors pertaining to your organization, the objectives may be established and reviewed by various personnel and with direct Top Management input.

Types of Objectives

Objectives can apply to an entire organization, can be site-specific, or can be specific to individual activities.

The appropriate level(s) of management personnel should define the objectives and targets. In some cases, personnel who set objectives may not be the same as those who set targets. Remember that the objectives are the overall goals as reflected in the principles established in the quality policy.

Scope of Objectives, Targets and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

The scope and number of the objectives and targets must be realistic and achievable. Otherwise, the success and continued commitment from Top Management and employees will diminish.

Consider these factors , as you begin to formulate your objectives:

• Legal and compliance requirements
• Significant aspects (aspects directly related to significant impacts)
• Significant hazards (hazards directly related to risks)
• Financial, operational, and business requirements
• Views of interested parties

Targets must be quantified where practicable and the units that are used to quantify the targets are referred to as key performance indicators (KPIs). A KPI is defined as an expression that is used to provide information about management system performance.

The following are some examples of KPIs:

• The quantity of raw material or energy used
• The amount waste produced
• The number of incidents/accidents
• The percentage of waste recycled
• Investment in environmental protection

Carefully consider the type of KPI you choose to use.

Suppose your organization establishes a target to reduce its non-hazardous waste by 40 % and the KPI you choose is the total tonnage of waste produced each year (tons/year). If your organization triples its production of units and reduces the amount of waste by 50 % percent per product unit, the KPI, tons per year, does not show the reduction.

In this case, the better KPI would have been the weight amount of waste per product unit (Kg per unit).

In many cases, measuring against the production units proves to be more accurate.

Establish Indicators & Targets

A key addition in the 2015 revision is the use of performance indicators to monitor your processes and their effective operation, as well as, the achievement of quality objectives. (Refer to ISO 9001:2015 - 4.4.1c) Indicators are defined as a measurable representation of the status of operations, management or conditions. Each of your quality objectives may require one or more associated indicators in order to provide enough detail about its performance.

The standard requires your organization to determine and apply the criteria and methods needed to assure the effective operation and control of the identified processes. Such criteria and methods might include for example; process monitoring indicators, process performance indicators, target setting, data collection, performance trends, or internal/external audit results.

Other criteria and methods might include:

1. Arrangements for governing each process e.g. process owner reviews, process committees, flight deck/dashboard representations, risks and opportunities relating to the process, resource needs, user training/competency, continual improvement initiatives, frequency of reviews, agenda, minutes, actions;
2. The organizational approach towards continual improvement and the types of action taken when process performance is not meeting intended results;
3. Identifying ‘what' needs to be monitored and measured in order to determine QMS and process performance, e.g. Internal - achievement of quality objectives, process performance indicators, target setting, audit results (conformity/non-conformity, effectiveness), trends. External - customer and supplier performance e.g. survey results, satisfaction indicators/ratings, compliments, complaint profile, returns/rejections, warranty claims, invoice queries.

Objective evidence should indicate that your organization has successfully integrated the QMS processes into its business processes. Evidence may include Top management reviewing QMS KPI’s as part of regular business reviews, awareness of contractors and employees of QMS goals and expectations, etc.

Depending on the size, management structure, and other factors pertaining to your organization, the objectives may be established and reviewed by various personnel and with direct Top management input. The objectives, performance indicators, and targets must be consistent with QMS policy and business strategy.

Linking Quality Policy, Objectives, KPIs and Targets

The table below shows how aspirational statements can be taken from a policy and linked to the related objective(s).

The table also provides ideas for KPIs and targets that in turn may be used to measure the achievement of each objective.

How to Document the Objectives

Your organization will need to set objectives for relevant functions, levels and processes within its QMS. It is for your organization to decide which functions, levels and processes are relevant.

We recommend you document your objectives using a description or matrix. As well as this, please provide a time-frame to achieve the objectives and set out indicators to monitor the achievement of objectives.

Indicators are defined as a measurable representation of the status of operations, management or conditions. Each objective will need one or more associated indicators.

Management Improvement Programme

organizations are required to establish and maintain one or more management improvement programs for achieving their objectives.

The management improvement program is a key element to the success of the QMS. Properly designed and implemented, management programs should achieve the objectives and, consequently, improve your organization’s performance.

The management program must:

1. Address each objective and target
2. Designate the personnel responsible for achieving targets at each relevant function/level of the organization
3. Provide an action plan describing how each target will be achieved
4. Establish a time-frame or a schedule for achieving each target

6.2.2 Objectives & Planning to Achieve Them

Your organization must undertake planning in order to determine how its QMS objectives will be achieved. This planning includes determining the work required in order for the organization to realize its objectives you should look for evidence that effective planning is taking place to support the achievement of your organization’s objectives.

Additionally, your organization must determine how it will evaluate the work done, including the use of indicators, and whenever possible, to integrate these planned actions into its business processes.

The use of indicators need to be audited in detail in order to determine whether:

• Objectives based on sound information
• Indicators really related to the corresponding objectives
• Statistical tools needed to define and to monitor objectives
• Indicators reach the expected values
• The organization can assure that the objective has been achieved

Evidence of Planning

You should seek and record evidence that effective planning was undertaken in support of the organization’s quality objectives and their achievement. You should ensure that this planning activity takes into considerations of Clause 6.2.1, as well as the following points:

• Identification of processes, resources, and skills needed to achieve quality
• Identification of suitable verification criteria at appropriate stages
• Compatibility of design, production, inspection and testing
• The confirmation of criteria of acceptability for all features and requirements
• Details of calibration of any special measuring or test equipment to be used

An Action Plan for Each Objective

Establishing an action plan for each objective may require considerable effort on the part of the personnel at relevant levels within your organization.

To ensure the progress of the action plan and a coordinated effort, a target leader should be selected for each target. The target leader will be responsible for ensuring a target is achieved within the specified time-frame.

Once the action plan is established, you must implement it. You may find that the following suggestions will help foster a cooperative effort in accomplishing the plan:

• Involve your employees early in establishing and carrying out the action plans
• Communicate the expectations and responsibilities laid out in the action plans to those who need to know
• Build on the plans and programs you have now for compliance
• Keep it simple
• Focus on continual improvement of management programs over time

Monitoring and Revising Quality Objectives

The quality management program should be revised regularly to reflect changes in your organization’s objectives and targets.

Track all new or modified operations, activities, and/or products in case the management program needs to be amended to reflect these changes.