We’re often asked to undertake audits where the focus is on conformity of products and services. In process checks, reworks and improvements are all relevant. But what about the information in our business? Information security and data protection may be one aspect of information but what about the data that informs and flows through our processes and may be present in the business more widely?
Information aspects are key facts that provide valuable insights into various areas of your business. They can greatly influence your Quality Management System (QMS) by affecting:
- Meeting needs and expectations
- Customer satisfaction and loyalty
- Compliance with laws and regulations
- Your brand’s reputation and trustworthiness
If information is poorly managed, it can harm your business’s reputation and sustainability. It’s important to ensure that standards, including ISO9001 cover the following areas:
- Managing information effectively
- Configuration management
- Business and personal information security (data privacy) and data quality
- Using digital tools and cloud services
- Big data and artificial intelligence (AI)
- Mobility (devices, data, information)
- Social media
What information is used in your business? Does it present a risk or an opportunity? It may be worth investigating or at least including a few questions about information in your next internal audit.
