ABSTRACT
Policies are enacted where there are choices to be made and often set one organization apart from another. All organizations will therefore have policies. They will exist at all levels in an organization but they might not be referred to as policies. For a policy to become established, it must reflect the beliefs of the organization and underpin every conscious thought and action. A quality policy that is posted in the entrance hall is published, but not established. However, the requirement to establish a quality policy means something different. It means formulating a quality policy because clause 5.2.2 addresses the communication and application of the quality policy etc. Policies are more easily understood when expressed in terms that are understood by the employees. Terms such as interested parties, quality management system and even quality policy are ISO speak and not common among organizations that have not encountered ISO 9001 and may not be readily understood.
