MR Role in Process Implementation and External Certification

The role of MR or Management Representative assumes tremendous significance in the implementation and certification of ISO standards.

The ISO framework sets out "Management Responsibility" and "Management Review" as two important enablers for successfully developing, implementing, and sustaining a structured process-based system for performing business.

The MR role is, however, useful much beyond the confines of the ISO standards.

From a broader standpoint, MR role can play a crucial role in an organization in process implementation and external certification.

The structured process-based system is generally referred to as QMS (Quality Management System).

QMS in this context is like the business management system and not only includes QMS but all the processes for other standards, models and frameworks for information security, data privacy, excellence, process maturity, etc.

The MR role is intended to purposefully drive the above two enablers and should made responsible for the following responsilities:

• Single point of contact from the management side
• The MR must be a senior person in the organization and a member of the company's management or leadership team
• Custodian of QMS documentation
• All changes to the QMS must pass through and should necessarily get approved by the MR
• Driver of internal implementation of QMS
• Business should be conducted in accordance with QMS processes
• QMS processes should span across the entire organization (core functions, support functions, internal audits, customer feedback surveys)
• Owner of external certifications
• Compliance to the target ISO standard should be successfully demonstrated to the 3rd Party Auditors during initial audit, surveillance audit, re-certification audit
• Scope of certification will also include certification against any other standards, models and frameworks used by the organization
• Coordinator of management review meetings
• MR should actively and proactively ensure the conduct of the management review meetings with the top management and other relevant stakeholders
• MR should also act as the ultimate owner of all identified action items and ensure closure of action points identified in the management review meetings