Quality policy and the structure of the quality system

Quality policy

The Geological Survey of Finland’s (GTK) management has drawn up a quality policy and related targets.

GTK’s quality policy is based on customer and other interest group satisfaction, as well as the organisation’s commitment to continual improvements in its operations.

As a research institution, research service organisation, and producer of geological information, GTK has set the following general quality targets:

• The collection, storage, processing and distribution of geological information is carried out in accordance with jointly defined working methods and procedures.
• High-quality research and development activities support GTK’s core operations and chargeable services. They also form part of international geological research. GTK is committed to following Good Scientific Practice and to the continual development of the effectiveness of its research activities.
• In order to improve existing products and identify the need for new ones, GTK systematically monitors and evaluates the requirements of the customer groups using its chargeable services. Effective quality assurance and after-sales procedures are a fundamental part of the organisation’s operations.
• GTK ensures the cost-effectiveness of all support services required for information collection, research and chargeable services.

All personnel are obliged to comply with the jointly accepted operating principles defined in the quality system. GTK’s management supervises compliance with these principles and is also responsible for developing the quality system. Management conducts annual monitoring of quality and environmental policy and checks whether targets have been reached. The named contacts for each co-operation arrangement or project take separate responsibility for co-operation with customers and other interest groups and the fulfilment of customer requirements.

Management pays particular attention to personnel motivation and competence development. GTK has several procedures to ensure personnel’s continued ability to meet the challenges set by the organisation’s operations. All GTK employees are personally responsible for maintaining their professional skills.

The structure of the quality system

Basic structure and documentation

GTK’s quality system is a collection of the responsibilities and procedures according to which tasks assigned to the research centre and separately ordered products and services are implemented. In addition to the Quality Manual and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), the Permanent Regulations (PR), Permanent Instructions (PI) and Safety Instructions (SI) issued by the administration also govern GTK’s operations. These are the quality system’s key reference material. The quality system documentation as a whole provides a comprehensive description of how GTK handles both quality assurance and environmental and occupational safety issues.

GTK’s quality system consists of the following elements:

• GTK’s Quality Manual
• Standard Operating Procedures
• Appendices and reference material

The ISO 9001 quality system standard is applied in all production related activities, such as mapping, measuring, and mineral technology laboratory research and process operations. The quality system describes the flow of the research centre’s processes so that everything related to customer service, the reliability and efficiency of operations, and environmental protection is defined to meet the requirements of the standard.

Quality system documents

GTK’s Quality Manual

The quality system’s main document is GTK’s Quality Manual, which defines the core quality assurance elements that all of the institution’s units are obliged to follow. The Quality Manual shows the structure of GTK’s quality system as well as the position of lower level documentation within the system. It also describes the processes associated with the quality system. Quality assurance is based on the quality and environmental policy drawn up by GTK’s senior management.

Standard Operating Procedures

The Standard Operating Procedures describe GTK’s operating processes and their management in accordance with their definitions in the previously mentioned standards and Quality Manual. Standard Operating Procedures cover GTK’s framework processes and core support processes.

Framework processes are those operating processes that, with regard to GTK’s business concept, result in key products or research results. Support processes are implemented on the basis of either an external customer order or an internal order for framework processes.

The targets set in the Standard Operating Procedures must be in keeping with GTK’s quality policy. Taken together, the Standard Operating Procedures and Quality Manual form a comprehensive description of the quality assurance for each operating process.

Appendices

The Appendices consist of the forms, guidelines, models and other appendices mentioned in the Quality Manual and Standard Operating Procedures.

Reference Material

The quality system’s core reference material is categorised as follows:

• Laws, statutes and regulations with direct relevance to GTK’s operations
• Permanent Regulations and Instructions
• GTK manuals
• Other reference material

Permanent Regulations and Instructions; Safety Instructions; other instructions

Permanent Regulations and Instructions define, for example, the institution’s organisational structure, financial regulations, archiving regulations, internal inspections, and procedures related to purchasing and contracts. References are generally given instead of repeating content within quality documentation.

GTK manuals

GTK’s manuals contain the general procedures and guidelines associated with GTK’s operations. Procedures for developing manuals and keeping them up-to-date are described within each manual.

Publication and use of quality documentation

GTK’s Quality Manual and Standard Operating Procedures are public documents. However, on the suggestion of the quality director and others responsible for quality, the director who approved the Standard Operating Procedures may decide to define as internal documents those sections with major significance for GTK’s business (procedure descriptions, for example). The Quality Manual and Standard Operating Procedures have primarily been drawn up for internal use. However, this documentation also aims to provide interest groups and customers with information on the operating methods to which GTK is committed.

Evaluation and development of the quality system

GTK’s key quality assurance evaluation and development procedures are as follows:

• Internal and external audits
• Reviews of operational areas
• Management’s quality system review
• Self-evaluation

Self-evaluation quality award criteria

GTK continually evaluates the organisation’s overall operations using management’s CAF (Common Assessment Framework) model. This evaluation model has been developed for self-evaluation in EU public sector organisations. Units can also use self-evaluation to develop their operations.

Self-evaluation covers both operating methods (procedures and their appropriate application) and results (key figures and the results they indicate). GTK’s self-evaluations play a major role in identifying areas for development. Self-evaluation aims to create a picture of the effectiveness of GTK’s operations.

Self-evaluation covers both evaluations of internal monitoring and the appropriateness of risk management.