BSI publishes new sustained success standard

BS EN ISO 9004:2009 Managing for the sustained success of an organization – A quality management approach,can be used by any organisation regardless of size, type and activity to sustain delivery of high-quality products and services for the benefit of all interested parties, says BSI. BSI director Mike Low (pictured) said businesses were still operating in tough economic conditions and the standard could help by providing a well-tried approach to ensure the sustained delivery of quality, business efficiency and customer satisfaction. "The revision of BS EN ISO 9004 provides a broader perspective on quality management for organisations already using standards in the ISO 9000 series as well as those just starting out," he went on. "The self-assessment element of the standard ensures exploitation of strengths and opportunities and continual improvement and innovation." The new version of BS EN ISO 9004 provides the next step beyond the standards set out in BS EN ISO 9001 towards ongoing improvement, measured through the satisfaction of customers, owners, shareholders, suppliers and partners, staff and society. It gives guidance on the adoption of a systematic approach which can help ensure economic survival in the long term. Rather than prescribing exactly how operations should be run, ISO 9004 provides a framework within which an organisation can manage and enhance the quality of its products and services. Alongside this, the standard promotes ongoing self-assessment which enables organisations to: • identify their strengths and weaknesses • identify opportunities for improvement and innovation • review and improve the maturity level of the organisation, including leadership, strategy, management system, resources and processes. BS EN ISO 9004:2009 is the third edition of the standard first published in 1987 and replaces BS EN ISO 9004:2000.