Supplier management according to ISO 9001: audit-proof evaluation, selection, and monitoring

Fornitori e ISO 9001 a prova di audit - Online Procurement

A company’s products and services are closely related to the quality of its suppliers. The ISO 9001:2015 standard, “Quality Management Systems”, acknowledges this concept in Section 8.4.1, which is dedicated to managing external suppliers.

But what does this mean in practical terms? How can a process be structured to effectively select, qualify, and monitor suppliers in accordance with ISO requirements without wasting time on manual activities? Let’s take a look.

What are the requirements of ISO 9001 certification for suppliers?

According to the ISO 9001:2015 standard (clause 8.4.1), organizations must perform four key activities:

1) evaluate and select suppliers before starting collaboration

2) implement a structured qualification process

3) monitor performance regularly

4) document each stage of the process

It sounds simple on paper, but many companies struggle to implement these requirements.

Imagine having to check the expiration dates of 50 suppliers’ certifications or urgently retrieve a supplier’s documentation during an audit. Would you immediately know where to find the information?

Simplify supplier management with Online Procurement’s Supplier Management solution -> .

What impact does scattered supplier management have on a business?

While it does not immediately show up in company financial statements, scattered supplier management erodes margins and performance in the long term.

In concrete terms, this translates to:

  • Increased administrative workload, with employees engaged in repetitive, low-value activities
  • Decisions based on incomplete or outdated data increase the risk of errors.
  • Hours spent manually monitoring activities that could be automated
  • Difficulty detecting problems and supplier noncompliance in advance
  • Complications during certification audits due to disorganized or missing documentation

How to implement a supplier management and monitoring system in practice

To ensure compliance with the international ISO 9001 standard and optimize processes, a structured system must be adopted. We suggest the following four steps to get you started:

Not all suppliers have the same impact on the core business. Classifying them helps establish priorities and allocate resources effectively.

For a company in the food sector, for example:

High impact: Raw material suppliers

Medium impact: Packaging material suppliers

Low impact: Stationery suppliers

Establish clear parameters for selecting and monitoring suppliers, such as:

  • Delivery punctuality (percentage of deliveries within the agreed time frame)
  • Product/service quality (percentage of non-conformities)
  • Flexibility (ability to respond to urgent requests)
  • Price and payment terms

Software such as Online Procurement allows you to set up a supplier rating system that uses automated information gathering systems and qualitative data to provide a comprehensive and consistent evaluation.

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Regular monitoring enables you to identify critical issues and take prompt action. It may include:

  • Periodic audits, including document review, on-site process observation, and supplier interviews
  • Analysis of nonconformities found in products or services received
  • Feedback from internal departments involved, such as production, purchasing, and quality

During an ISO 9001 audit, organizations must demonstrate that they have:

  • Evaluated suppliers prior to selection
  • Monitored performance regularly
  • Taken action in the event of noncompliance

A centralized, well-organized document management system can help avoid stress and inefficiencies in information management.

Online Procurement: total control over supplier operations

Do you recognize yourself in the following situations: supplier documents stored in emails and Excel spreadsheets, forgotten deadlines, and decisions based more on intuition than real data?

Our Online Procurement platform helps you manage your company’s purchases more efficiently. It’s more than software; it’s an ally that simplifies your existing processes without disrupting them.

  • Automated qualification: Maintain your selection criteria, and let the system collect information and remind you of deadlines.
  • Centralized Repository: Find any document in seconds, even those from years ago.
  • Intuitive vendor rating: Evaluate suppliers using your own set of parameters with the help of automation.
Online Procurement: the all-in-one solution for purchasing management

Don’t just take our word for it.

Many procurement professionals like you have already integrated Online Procurement into their existing processes and seen immediate results.

and we’ll show you how to tailor the system to your needs.