The Key Issues of Implementation and Certification of ISO 9001 Quality
Control System in GEODIS BRNO, spol. s r.o.
by
Jiří Novák
Key words: ISO9001, documentation, certification, surveying,
photogrammetry, etc.
Abstract
1. Introduction
"ISO 9001 Certified" - this statement is found on all the
commercial materials of GEODIS BRNO company. This statement is a
result of a lengthy and complex process signifying that GEODIS BRNO
and other companies have quality assurance and management programs
that meet the stringent conditions of the internationally accepted ISO
9000 standards. GEODIS BRNO, Ltd. is one of the first private
companies which obtained this license to carry out geodetic and
photogrammetric services in the former Czech and Slovak Federative
Republic. The firm was founded in July 1990 as a Czech-Austrian
company. GEODIS BRNO, Ltd. has three departments at this time:
Department of Photogrammetry, Department of Geodesy, and Commercial
Department. GEODIS BRNO, Ltd. has been implementing quality control
system according to ISO 9001 standard since July 1997 and was
certified on June 1999 by TÜV Berlin.
This paper contains the following sections:
- the advantage of obtaining ISO 9000 Certification
- role of the consulting company in the implementation process of
Quality Control System
- "Key People" - key to successful certification
- documentation requirements for certification
These sections correspond to the crucial points of implementation
and certification process of Quality Control System,
identified by GEODIS during implementation process.
2. The Advantages of Obtaining ISO 9000 Certification
The ISO certification process includes an audit of a company's
quality systems by a third party. As ISO certification has been once
achieved, the process never ends. Auditors return on a regular basis
to verify that standards are being upheld. It is important to keep in
mind that ISO certifies the process leading to an acquisition of a
product or service, not the product or service itself.
The ISO 9000 standards cover all companies of all sizes, both
service and manufacturing. The standards comprise three standards:
- ISO 9001: Quality assurance in design, development, and
production
- ISO 9002: Quality assurance in production and installation
- ISO 9003: Quality assurance in final inspection and test
Within a company, ISO certification provides many benefits
concerning production, manufacturing, contracting with suppliers, and
legal requirements. Being registered to an ISO standard, the company's
energy focuses on quality and consistency.
In a world economy, where most companies depend increasingly on
other companies when providing parts of their products or services,
quality standards have become essential. The ISO 9000 standard is
rapidly becoming the quality standard throughout the world. More than
80 countries as diverse as England, Colombia, Canada, Germany, Israel,
and Turkey have adopted the ISO standards.
The ISO standards is a quality guarantee for the production process
and development of a product or service, not the product or service
itself. Perhaps the most cogent reason for seeking ISO certification
is the marketplace itself: customers are beginning to demand
certification.
3. Role of the Consulting Company in the Implementation Process of
Quality Control System
In the initial phase of the project implementation GEODIS decided
to take an advantage of the services provided by a consulting company.
According to the firmly set criteria, a consulting company of MBK
Brno, accredited in the PHARE Quality Program, was engaged. Its
accreditation ensured us not only about the good choice in the partner
searching phase, but also about the financial support provided by the
PHARE Fund for the implementation project of Quality Control System.
Our previous experience showed that the co-operation with experienced
supervisors significantly shortens and improves the preparation for
certification. The supervisors increased our confidence by using
Certification Company Methodology, by their experience with needed
certification standards, and by their ability to prepare us
sufficiently for the process.
4. Documentation Requirements for Certification
Documentation control is the critical element of International
Standards Organisation (ISO) certification. The greatest reason why
companies fail their ISO audit—document control problems—causes
twice as many failures as the second most common reason.
Documentation review is usually the second of six steps in the
certification process (application, documentation review,
pre-assessment, assessment, certification, and surveillance). If an
applicant fails the documentation review, the certification process
stops right there. The phases include 20 quality-system requirements
(sections. Each section contains this statement: "the supplier
shall establish and maintain documented procedures."
5. Conclusion: "Key People" - The Key to Successful
Certification
One of the key moments of the Quality System Implementation Process
is the individual responsibility of management staff and employees for
the introduction of different quality elements into the working
process. That was why the most experienced employees of the company
were involved in this process. Following the methodology of the
consulting company, a team of experienced and engaged "Key
People" was formed, and it was together with the team of internal
auditors trained by the consulting company at the beginning of the
implementation process. Thanks to the creative work of these people,
we managed to set current and introduce new procedures of Quality
Control as required by ISO Standards.
Ing. Jiří Novák
GEODIS BRNO, spol. s r.o.
Lazaretní 11a
61500 Brno
CZECH REPUBLIC
E-mail: jnovak@geodis.cz
Web site: http://www.vugtk.cz
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