Level 1 --
Quality Policies and Objectives
This first level of documentation is often referred to as a "Quality Manual" and is separate and distinct from the procedures. The purpose of this level of documentation is to state in a concise and brief format, the policies and objectives of the company for achieving a desired level of quality for the organization or division.
At a minimum, the Quality Manual is required to address each one of the paragraphs of the applicable ISO Series that the company plans to become registered against.
Each area that is written should include three parts: Scope, Policy and Responsibilities.
The Scope portion should simply state the purpose of the covered area.
The Policy portion should state the company policy regarding the applicable ISO clause.
The Responsibility portion should state who, in generic titles or positions, is responsible for the policy.
Although there is no standard format or requirement for the Quality Manual, a sample manual is provided in this guide for you to use as a template to create your own Quality Manual.
Next: What information is needed for Level 2 - Procedures and Responsibilities?
