So, you’ve decided that you really need to embark upon ISO 9001 registration. Perhaps it’s being requested by a client, or you’ve worked at a company before that had implemented it to great effect. Or maybe you’ve just been convinced by the numerous studies that have elucidated the strong benefits of ISO 9001 registration. However, managers don’t seem as convinced. You have the authority to implement the system, but management simply won’t contribute or cooperate. Perhaps they just want you to get on with it, and let them know when it’s done. So, does this matter? Can a company register to an ISO standard through the drive of just one person?

Unfortunately, management buy-in is essential to ISO 9001 success. The ISO handbook specifies that top management must provide “evidence of its commitment to the development and implementation of the quality management system.” It is imperative that they are involved in the writing of the quality policy, the definition of objectives, and that they conduct management reviews. If you do not have management support, you simply cannot implement ISO 9001.

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