World Quality Week 2021 – Sustainability: Improving Our Products, People and Planet

World Quality Week 2021 is in full swing to celebrate the quality management profession.  This year’s theme – Sustainability: improving our products, people and planet – is so appropriate for our current times and one that will serve companies well into the future.  From November 8-12 CQI (Chartered Quality Institute) has created a program and resources to help organizations focus on quality’s role in sustainability and its environmental, social and governance impact.  These factors are increasingly taking priority on business agendas and operations.

One of simpleQuE’s clients – Dana, Inc. has been incorporating these factors into their business operations across sites in 33 countries on six continents, serving customers worldwide.  As a major Tier 1 automotive supplier, they are certified to IATF 16949®, with many sites also certified to ISO 14001 (the environmental management system standard).  And now Dana sites are including ISO 45001 certification to meet requirements for an occupational health and safety (OH&S) management system. Dana is a shining example of a company’s commitment to quality and improving products, people and planet.

CQI’s World Quality Week 2021 infographic is an interactive PDF to generate some thoughts on how your management system can translate your sustainability intent into improved environmental and social outcomes.

CQI provides some tips for quality management professionals:

• Recognize environmental and social concerns and how they affect quality
• Embed sustainability needs and expectations in processes and plans throughout your company’s management system and operational governance
• Innovate by designing products and services that are commercially viable and sustainable
• Monitor, measure and report how you’re using sustainability to improve your business
• Meet important sustainability requirements and targets
• Continuously improve your sustainability performance

 How can organizations advance quality? 

Let this be a call to action, if you haven’t done so already, implement a quality and/or environmental management system.  Look internally to see if you are meeting quality objectives which include customer, regulatory and environmental requirements.  Utilize the standards and tools that have been developed to monitor and measure the effectiveness of quality systems and compliance.  Perform regular internal audits and management reviews.  Get everyone in your organization involved to create a culture of improvement and celebrate quality every day!

#WQW21

SimpleQuE is a leader in AS, IATF® and ISO consulting, auditing and training.  Contact us for a consult and see the difference that our experts can bring to your quality management process.