Policy
A policy is a statement of intent and direction set by top management to guide decisions and help the organization reach its goals.
Policies should cover the subject areas that top management has identified as important for the organization’s strategy and management system. Common subject areas are quality, environment, information security, and occupational health and safety.
Having multiple policies is not uncommon, but creating a “company policy” covering all these areas is a good option.
The policy sets the direction for decisions and daily work. It also describes the framework within which the organization can act in the subject area.
Organizations working with ISO management-system standards need to establish, maintain, and update their policies when needed so they remain relevant and aligned with the organization’s context, purpose, and commitments. The policy should be clear enough that people can understand and use it in the work.
There is no requirement that a policy must be long and tedious. A policy that is easy to understand and follow is better.
A good quality policy describes, for example:
- Who we are
- What we do
- How we live up to the requirements of the subject area
More often, organizations have requirements or areas that are important to the company based on more than just ISO 9001 and quality. In order for employees not to drown in different policies, it is appropriate to create an operational policy that addresses all or at least several of these subject areas.
A good company policy describes, for example:
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Who we are
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What we do
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What makes us unique and leads to our success
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How we act in our relationship with our customers
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How we who lead and work within the organization are expected to act
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How we work systematically with issues important to our customers, us, and the world around us.
For example, for ISO 14001 and 45001, you need to address work environment requirements, environmental requirements, and other vital requirements from the company’s different stakeholders.
There are many ways to make a policy. It can be long or short, as well as a document or a printed poster. Creating a policy can be creative, and there’s no one-size-fits-all template. What matters is that the policy reflects the organization’s values, goals, and expectations.
However, a policy is only as good as its implementation. Therefore, it is important to formulate a policy and ensure that everyone within the organization knows and understands it.