ISO 9001 Clause 5 - Leadership and Commitment

Clause 5 is where the quality management system gets its direction. The standard puts top management responsibility front and centre and asks for a quality policy that aligns with the strategic direction of the organisation, plus a clear allocation of roles and authorities. The clause splits into three sub-clauses, each covered in its own article below.

Sub-clauses of ISO 9001 Clause 5

Clause 5.1 - Leadership and Commitment requires top management to demonstrate leadership and commitment to the QMS, including taking accountability for its effectiveness and integrating its requirements into the organisation's business processes.

Clause 5.2 - Quality Policy requires top management to establish, implement and maintain a quality policy that is appropriate to the purpose of the organisation and provides a framework for setting quality objectives.

Clause 5.3 - Organisational Roles, Responsibilities and Authorities requires top management to assign and communicate responsibilities and authorities for relevant roles within the QMS.