1. Purpose of the gate
Leadership commitment is the first decision in the lifecycle. Top management decides whether to build a certified quality management system, or to renew one that has lapsed or needs rebuilding, which standards it aims for, who will own it, and what it will spend to get started. Nothing that follows works without this commitment: process owners need time, internal auditors need training, systems need money and the certification body needs a contract.
The gate also makes accountability visible. The standards place responsibility for the effectiveness of the system on top management, not on the quality department. Recording the decision, the system owner and the resources at this gate gives the system owner the standing to ask every function for work and evidence, and gives top management a baseline against which to judge progress.
The target standards and schemes are first discussed here, with the customers and markets that drive them. The choice is confirmed, with the scope, at Scope and policy approved.
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