Engineering Council

Reference:  ISO 9001:2015 Clause 5.2 and Clause 6.2

DEFINITIONS:

The following definitions apply:

Quality Management System: comprises activities by which the Engineering Council identifies objectives and determines the processes and resources required to achieve desired results. It manages the interacting processes and resources required to provide value and realise results for stakeholders. It enables top management to optimise the use of resources considering the long and short-term consequences of their decision. It provides the means to identify actions to address intended and unintended consequences in providing products and services.

Continual Improvement: is a set of recurring activities to enhance current levels of performance, to react to changes in its internal and external conditions and to create new opportunities.

Management Review: is the process whereby the Management Panel review the quality management system to ensure its continuing suitability, adequacy, effectiveness and alignment with the strategic direction of the Engineering Council. The reviews are also used to identify and assess opportunities to inform Engineering Council’s quality policy and quality objectives, to address resource needs, and to look for opportunities to improve its products and services.

Quality: is determined by the ability to satisfy stakeholders and the intended and unintended impact on relevant stakeholders. The quality of products and services includes not only the intended function and performance, but their perceived value and benefit to stakeholders.

Stakeholder: anybody who can affect or is affected by the Engineering Council. They can be internal or external and include: society, members of the public, registration applicants; registrants; Licensed Members; Professional Affiliates; education and skills providers; the Privy Council Office; employers; other engineering related Institutions; and Engineering Council staff and volunteers (Individuals nominated by stakeholders, most notably Licensed Members, to work on behalf of the Engineering Council on the Board, committees and/or panels and as Liaison Officers)

Quality Policy

INTRODUCTION

The Engineering Council aims to continually improve the products and services it provides to meet its stakeholder requirements. The Engineering Council aims to achieve this by implementing a Quality Management System that complies with the international standard of good practice BS EN ISO 9001. It also includes a commitment to meet the requirements of its stakeholders, as well as legal and regulatory requirements. The organisation is also committed to the continual development of the Quality Management System (QMS) to ensure it remains effective. Only by providing an outstanding service and high-quality products will the Engineering Council achieve its aims of long-term success and sustained improvements.

ORGANISATION

Adherence to this policy applies to all Engineering Council staff to ensure our stakeholder needs and expectations are met and that our Quality Management System is fit-for-purpose.

RESPONSIBILITY

To achieve and maintain the required level of assurance the CEO retains overall responsibility for the Quality Management System with routine operation controlled by the Operations Director.

The PMO & Quality Manager is responsible for monitoring the Quality Management System, communicating this policy to all staff and reporting to the Management Panel, on the system's implementation, status and effectiveness.

PRINCIPLES

• Stakeholder expectations will be understood and satisfied
• Emphasis will be placed on process management and risk-based thinking
• Management review is a fundamental tool, for managing the QMS
• The organisation is committed to continual improvement

The aim of the Engineering Council's Quality Policy is to:

• provide authoritative and professional products and services that satisfy the requirements and expectations of stakeholders.
• continually improve the effectiveness, suitability and adequacy of the Quality Management System to ensure provision of high-quality products and services and to ensure that it remains effective and fit for purpose.
• ensure all staff are competent, and understand their role and responsibilities in order to perform their role effectively.
• ensure the availability of resources to implement the Quality Management System.
• ensure quality objectives are set and regularly reviewed.

Quality Objectives

The following quality objectives are consistent with the aims of the policy to ensure the conformity of products and services and to satisfy the requirements and expectations of stakeholders:

1. That staff and volunteers are appropriately trained and developed to ensure they have the competence required to perform effectively.
2. That key products and services are reviewed and developed in response to stakeholder needs and expectations.
3. That complaints, mis-use of title claims, Partner Portal account requests, registration forms, and web enquiries are processed within formal KPIs.

These quality objectives are monitored by the Management Panel.