ISO certification is a valuable asset, demonstrating your commitment to quality, security, and environmental management. However, achieving and maintaining compliance can be a resource-intensive endeavour.
Many organisations are saving time and money preparing for ISO by creating an effective, scalable quality management system using existing Microsoft platforms. Regardless of the standard you are considering, SharePoint and Microsoft 365 can be invaluable tools, streamlining the process and supporting quality management for ongoing adherence to ISO standards.
1) Documented Management System
“If I had my time again, I'd just build it in SharePoint.”
- Mitch Colton, Colton Computer Technologies, ISO 27001
At the core of any ISO framework is the requirement for a documented management system. SharePoint's robust document management capabilities allow you to store, organise, and control access to policies, procedures, and other critical documents. With version control, review and approval workflows, and access permissions, you can ensure that your documentation is accurate, up-to-date, and accessible to those who need it, regardless of their location or device.
2) Audit Management
Demonstrating compliance during audits is essential for maintaining ISO certification. SharePoint's lists and document sets allow you to manage audit findings, corrective and preventive actions, and keep all relevant information organised and easily accessible. Customised views and metadata columns further enhance the usability of these audit management tools.
3) Process Approach
ISO standards emphasise a process-based approach to operations. SharePoint serves as an ideal hub for process collaboration and documentation.
Once published, SharePoint intranets are perfect for communicating and sharing your processes, policies, and procedures in an engaging and targeted way. Site pages, document libraries, and metadata tagging make it easy for employees to find and follow the relevant information they need to comply with your quality management system.
PRO TIP:
Keep your document names clean – not Leave Policy Jan 2022 vers 2.0 – or it will not replace the old document, but create a second document with the old (incorrect) one still available to users.
4) Risk Management
Identifying and addressing potential risks is a crucial aspect of ISO compliance. SharePoint and the Power Platform enable you to create risk registers, assign responsibilities, track mitigation efforts, and manage vendor reviews. Additionally, you can leverage attestation and compliance modules to ensure that employees have reviewed and acknowledged new or updated policies and procedures.
5) Customer Focus and Continual Improvement
ISO standards emphasise customer focus and continual improvement.
- Microsoft Forms can collect customer feedback, which can be presented in Power BI for analysis.
- Microsoft Teams facilitates customer communication and brainstorming sessions.
- SharePoint and Planner enable the creation and tracking of action lists.
- Ideation modules within SharePoint can solicit and manage innovative ideas from employees, ensuring that the best ideas are implemented and communicated throughout the organisation using features like SharePoint News and announcements.
By leveraging the powerful features of SharePoint and Microsoft 365, organisations can streamline their ISO compliance efforts, ensuring that their quality management system and ongoing compliance and improvement are effectively managed.
Do you need help with a quality management system?
SharePoint Online and Microsoft 365 can provide:
- A central repository for all ISO-related documents and compliance documents
- Automated workflows to support key ISO-related processes such as document approval
- A system to create and manage risk registers that identify potential risks related to ISO compliance
- A way to capture and store data related to audits, non-conformances, and corrective actions
Contact Us to find out how you can leverage Microsoft 365 for better outcomes and greater ROI.