Lorena Bermúdez , Coordinator of the RC , Quality and Excellence Area of Bureau Veritas Training .
ISO 9001 puts special emphasis on organizations ensuring that their externally provided processes, products and services conform to the requirements set out in the management system. But are we clear about what ISO 9001 refers to when it talks about “ externally provided processes ”?
What kind of processes are included in this concept? Is it necessary to consider these processes within our management system? I have recently been asked about this. This post is dedicated to those who have doubts .
Basically we can say that an externally supplied line data process would be one that the organization itself requires for the development of its activity, but for whatever reason, decides that it should be carried out by an external company .
To give a simple example , let's imagine an organization that manufactures product X. It may have a fleet of trucks that distribute its product to retailers. Or it may decide to subcontract the transport and have an external company take care of this activity. The second option would be considered as an outsourced service .
There is often a mistaken belief that because these are activities that are not carried out by the organization itself, their control can be ignored. Nothing could be further from the truth. All processes that could affect the conformity of the final product or service must be adequately controlled, whether they are internal or external processes . This is why ISO 9001 specifically dedicates one of its sections to the control of these externally supplied processes .
To make this distinction clear, let's take an example . Let's imagine the case of a small office , which does not have a physical activity of customer service and which decides to outsource the cleaning service of its facilities. Let's also imagine a hotel , which may also have subcontracted the cleaning service of all the facilities, reception, rooms, etc.
Both organisations have outsourced cleaning services. Does this process affect the quality of the product/service offered by each organisation equally? Undoubtedly, in the second case, the cleaning process will have a greater influence.
Thus, in the case of a small office , the cleaning process is probably not included in the organization's management system . However, in the case of a hotel, it is, and all the controls to be carried out must therefore be well defined to ensure that the cleaning service complies with the requirements established in the hotel and, in this way, guarantee the correct development of its activity.