Creating a Culture of Continual Improvement With ISO 9001

ISO 9001 is the internationally recognised standard for Quality Management Systems (QMS), established by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). It helps organisations implement transparent, repeatable processes to maintain high-quality customer service.

ISO 9001 standard sets out the requirements for a system focused on consistency, efficiency and customer satisfaction achieved through continual improvement. Building this culture throughout your organisation supports the ongoing effectiveness of your QMS and contributes positively towards ISO 9001 certification outcomes.

So, what exactly does continual improvement mean for your organisation? What are the benefits, and how can you create a lasting culture of continual improvement?

Continual improvement is a systematic, long-term approach to enhancing an organisation’s performance.

It involves consistently striving for product, service, or process improvements over time. Continual improvement involves incremental changes or significant breakthroughs aimed at enhancing products, services, or processes over time.

The concept is based on the idea that even when things are performing well, they can always be improved. By regularly questioning and challenging the status quo, organisations can find new ways to increase efficiency, improve customer satisfaction, reduce waste and enhance overall quality and productivity.

Continual improvement is a key principle of many Quality Management Systems, including those based on ISO standards. It promotes a culture of constant evolution and learning within an organisation, driving resilience and long-term success.

The ISO 9001 standard specifically uses the term ’continual improvement’ rather than ‘continuous’ improvement. This distinction is commonly discussed in quality literature, but only ‘continual improvement’ is defined and used within the most up-to-date version of ISO 9001.

Continual improvement means making changes in a cycle. You plan what to improve, put the plan into action, check how it went, and then plan the next step. This follows the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) approach, helping organisations improve in steady, repeatable stages.

Continuous improvement, strictly speaking, would imply an uninterrupted, constant process of improvement without any pauses – a state that is practically impossible to maintain in real-world operations.

For a business implementing the ISO 9001 standard, continual improvement means regularly reviewing and updating its processes rather than making changes all at once or trying to improve everything constantly.

For example, a company might introduce a new customer feedback form, monitor the results for several months, and then make targeted adjustments based on the insights gathered. After evaluating the impact, the business pauses to assess progress before planning the next improvement, such as updating its staff training programme.

This phased, ongoing approach helps the organisation steadily enhance quality and customer satisfaction over time.

Embracing continual improvement can offer numerous benefits for your organisation, regardless of its size or sector:

1. Increased efficiency: Continual improvement often targets operational processes, aiming to make them more efficient. This can result in faster turnaround times, lower operational costs, and increased output.
2. Cost savings: Increased efficiency can translate into cost savings. Organisations can reduce expenses and boost profitability by identifying and eliminating waste or redundant processes.
3. Customer satisfaction: By continually improving products or services, organisations can better meet customer expectations and needs, improving customer satisfaction and loyalty.
4. Employee engagement: Involving employees in the continual improvement process can increase their engagement and satisfaction. It can make them feel valued, drive innovation and foster a productive, innovative workplace culture.
5. Compliance: Continual improvement includes evolving processes to meet changing regulatory requirements, keeping your organisation in line with government and industry regulations.
6. Competitive advantage: Continual improvement can lead to superior products, services and processes, giving your organisation an impressive competitive edge.

Overall, continual improvement can significantly enhance an organisation’s performance and long-term success.

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Continual improvement is fundamental to the ISO 9001 standard for Quality Management Systems. It is embedded in the standard’s structure and principles and is central to its goal of enhancing customer satisfaction and improving quality.

One key way that ISO 9001 integrates continual improvement is through the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle, which forms the basis for continual improvement within the QMS and all ISO management systems.

The PDCA cycle is a systematic approach to problem-solving and process improvement. Here’s a breakdown:

• Plan: Identify an opportunity for improvement and plan a change.
• Do: Implement the change on a small scale as a test.
• Check: Measure the impact of the change and analyse whether it made a positive difference.
• Act: If the change was successful, implement it on a larger scale, and continuously assess the results.

Another critical aspect of ISO 9001 is its emphasis on a process approach. By understanding and managing interconnected processes as a single system, organisations can effectively achieve their objectives while allowing for ongoing improvement.

ISO 9001 promotes both customer focus and continual improvement as key principles that work in parallel to enhance organisational performance. By understanding current and future customer needs, organisations can meet these and strive to exceed expectations through continual improvement.

By applying the PDCA cycle, adopting a process approach and maintaining a strong customer focus, organisations can continuously enhance their performance, efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Read our ultimate guide to ISO 9001.

The concept of continual improvement appears across ISO 9001:2015, with explicit references in these clauses:

Clause 4.4: Quality Management System and its processes

This clause requires the organisation to establish, implement, maintain and continually improve a QMS, including the processes needed and their interactions.

This clause’s emphasis on continual improvement highlights that a QMS is not a static system – it should constantly evolve to enhance performance effectiveness.

Clause 6.2: Quality objectives

Organisations are required to set measurable quality objectives that support continual improvement.

Quality objectives should be regularly reviewed and updated to remain aligned with opportunities for continual improvement within the QMS.

Clause 6.3: Planning of Changes

Changes to the QMS must be carried out in a planned manner, ensuring the system’s integrity is maintained.

Effective planning of changes should consider how each change can contribute to the continual improvement of processes and outcomes.

Clause 9.3: Management review inputs

Progress is enabled by understanding current system performance and identifying areas for improvement..

This clause requires management to regularly review the QMS for its continuing suitability, adequacy, effectiveness and alignment with ISO 9001’s regulations and the organisation’s direction.

These reviews should reveal areas that can be further improved upon and should become a regular management priority.

Clause 10: Improvement

Clause 10 is explicitly dedicated to improvement, with three key sub-clauses outlining the mechanisms needed for achieving successful improvements of a QMS:

10.1: General

This sub-clause stresses that the organisation must proactively identify and prioritise opportunities for improvement. It also stresses implementing the necessary actions to enhance customer satisfaction.

This clause implies that constant monitoring and quick responsiveness are needed – two key parts of continual improvement.

10.2: Nonconformity and corrective action

Sub-clause 10.2 requires an organisation to react whenever nonconformity occurs, taking action to control it, correct it and appropriately handle any consequences.

This subclause outlines the corrective action process, an essential aspect of continual improvement. Handling nonconformities fixes immediate issues and contributes to the QMS’s ongoing refinement.

10.3: Continual improvement

This sub-clause explicitly states that the organisation must continually improve the suitability, adequacy and effectiveness of the QMS in order to comply with ISO 9001.

It underlines the need for commitment to constant progression and not just undertaking one-off changes, which is a cornerstone of the continual improvement principle.

The PDCA cycle provides a structured approach for fulfilling the requirements of this clause and embedding continual improvement within the QMS.

Read: ISO 9001 Clauses Explained.

Discover more about ISO terms with our free ISO glossary.

Creating a culture of continual improvement in an organisation doesn’t happen overnight.

It requires a systematic approach over a long period so that it becomes an integral part of an organisation’s operations.

Leadership commitment

Leadership plays a crucial role in fostering a culture of continual improvement. Leaders must visibly demonstrate their commitment to improvements, setting the tone for the rest of the organisation.

This can be done through regular communication about the importance of improvement. Leaders can recognise and reward improvement efforts and participate in improvement activities.

Leadership commitment includes ensuring resources are available and fostering an environment that supports continual improvement.

Set clear goals and objectives

For continual improvement to be effective, the organisation must have clear, measurable goals and objectives.

These should align with the organisation’s strategic direction and be communicated throughout the business.

Having clear goals and objectives provides a focus for improvement efforts, helping employees understand what they are striving for and why.

Involve employees

Engaging employees in continual improvement is key to embedding it into your organisation’s culture.

Since employees are closely engaged in day-to-day operations, they often have valuable insights into potential improvements. Encouraging suggestions and ideas from employees – and implementing them where appropriate – can make employees feel valued and involved.

Organisations may benefit from ensuring that employees are equipped with appropriate knowledge and skills to support continual improvement efforts.

This is especially important given the declining employee engagement in the UK – according to research by polling organisation Gallup, only 10% of employees report being engaged at work.

Measure and monitor

Using Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to track performance and improvements can help keep the focus on continual improvement.

These metrics should be visible to all employees and regularly updated to reflect current performance.

By regularly tracking and sharing metrics, employees and stakeholders can see the direct impact of improvement efforts.

Management reviews

Management reviews are a key tool for maintaining the momentum of continual improvement. These reviews must take place at planned intervals, as determined by the organisation, to ensure the QMS remains suitable, adequate and effective.

They enable organisations to determine and evaluate the performance of their management systems, identify the need for improvement, and assess the suitability of their business objectives. Minutes of the review meetings must be kept as evidence.

Continual improvement is a key part of achieving and maintaining ISO 9001 certification, and is central to running an effective Quality Management System.

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