During QRMC’s recent Integrated Management System Certification Audit, some discussion ensued as to what constituted a “Management Review” and the benefit that can be gained from it, and how other organisations may be short-cutting the process and losing that benefit. In Part 1 of this series of articles, we will look at what a Management Review is (and isn’t), the ISO context, and the key inputs to be considered for an effective Management System Review.

What is a Management Review?

Within the context of a Management System, a Management Review refers to a formal evaluation conducted by the organisation’s “top management” – typically the Executive Leadership Team or the Board, depending on the organisation. The review’s core objective is to assess the overall performance of the system (at regular, planned intervals), specifically with the purpose of ensuring its continuing suitability, adequacy and effectiveness to achieving the organisation’s intended outcomes.

Whilst the ISO Standards do not explicitly state a requirement for a Management Review Meeting, this is often the simplest way to conduct the review by the organisation’s top management (and certainly the easiest to demonstrate to an Auditor). That said, it is important to distinguish between a dedicated Management Review Meeting and other management meetings, such as a monthly ELT organisational performance review meeting.

An ELT meeting typically reviews organisational performance, with these meetings focusing on the “x’s and o’s”, such as, how many incidents have occurred, how this is tracking to the previous 12 months, what performance data are trending up or down, and how the Improvement Strategies and Programs are progressing.

The Management Review meeting, on the other hand, is typically a once-a-year session dedicated to the assessment of the system and includes the review of:

  • Action status from the previous Management Review
  • Strategic Objectives, Risks and Opportunities
  • Strategic Initiatives and Programs
  • Performance
  • Audit Results and Actions
  • Implications for the strategic direction of the organisation
  • Changes in the organisation’s interested parties and their needs and expectations
  • Legal and other requirements relevant to the organisation and its activities
  • Adequacy of Financial and Human Resourcing
  • Opportunities for Continual Improvement and integration with other business processes
  • Consultation arrangements with internal and external stakeholders
  • Industry trends and other changing circumstances

In Part 2 of this series, we will examine the outputs from the Management Review and the benefits that flow to the operational effectiveness and continuous improvement to the Management System, as well as to the organisation as a whole.

Please contact QRMC for more information or assistance.