ISO9001 System Document Package (12) | Communication Management Procedure (7.4)

Document Description: This document is the implementation procedure for clause 7.4 "Communication" of the ISO 9001:2015 standard, and it is a second-level document (procedure document) of the quality management system (QMS). Clause 7.4 of the standard requires the organization to determine internal and external communication related to the QMS, and to clarify five elements: "what to communicate, when to communicate, with whom to communicate, how to communicate, and who is responsible." The core function of this procedure is to institutionalize these three issues: 1) Ensure the smooth flow of vertical (superior-subordinate) and horizontal (inter-departmental) information transmission, so that quality policies, objectives, requirements, changes, and problems are promptly communicated to relevant positions; 2) Standardize communication channels and messages with external stakeholders such as customers, suppliers, regulatory bodies, and certification bodies to prevent miscommunication or omission that could lead to quality risks; 3) Provide records to support the traceability of quality information. This document is widely applicable to various types of enterprises, including manufacturing, service, and engineering companies, and the communication channels can be flexibly adjusted based on the actual information technology conditions (OA, corporate WeChat, DingTalk, email) of the enterprise.

1. Purpose

To standardize internal and external communication activities related to the company's quality management system, clarify the content, timing, recipients, methods, and responsible persons for communication, ensure that information about the effectiveness of the quality management system, process operations, and customer and stakeholder requirements is transmitted timely, accurately, and completely, prevent quality, delivery, and service issues caused by poor, inaccurate, or omitted information transmission, and meet the requirements of clause 7.4 of the ISO 9001:2015 standard and applicable laws, regulations, and customer requirements.

2. Scope of Application

2.1 This procedure applies to the control of all internal and external communication activities during the operation of the company's quality management system, including but not limited to:

(1) Internal Communication: Conveying quality policies and objectives, issuing and changing system documents, process operation requirements, inspection and nonconforming information, internal audit and management review results, corrective actions and improvement requirements, organizational structure and responsibility adjustments, major quality incident notifications, etc.

(2) External Communication: Communication with customers (contracts and orders, technical briefings, delivery arrangements, complaints and feedback, satisfaction surveys), communication with suppliers (procurement requirements, quality agreements, nonconforming feedback, improvement requirements), communication with regulatory bodies and certification bodies (regulatory requirements, audit arrangements, report submissions), and communication with industry organizations and the public.

2.2 Detailed requirements for customer communication involving product requirement confirmation, contract review, order changes, and complaint handling are executed according to the "Customer-Related Process Control Procedure" and the "Customer Satisfaction Monitoring and Measurement Procedure." This procedure specifies general management requirements for communication, and in case of conflict, the specific procedures shall prevail.

2.3 This procedure does not apply to communication involving the highest level of national or commercial secrets (managed separately according to the company's confidentiality policy), but confidentiality requirements must not be used as a reason to refuse the transmission of necessary quality information to customers and stakeholders.

3. Responsibilities

3.1 General Manager:

(1) Approve major external communication matters (such as major quality incident notifications, recall announcements, media statements).

(2) Chair important company meetings (management reviews, annual quality meetings), ensuring the communication of quality policies and objectives.

(3) Provide necessary resources (meetings, information systems, training) for communication activities.

3.2 Management Representative (or Quality Department, as the communication management department):

(1) Manage internal and external communication related to the quality management system, develop an annual communication plan, and supervise its implementation.

(2) Organize the internal transmission of system-level information such as internal audit and management review results.

(3) Handle daily communication and audit arrangements with certification bodies and regulatory bodies.

(4) Track the handling results of major communication matters and report to the General Manager when necessary.

(5) Regularly evaluate the effectiveness of the communication mechanism and incorporate communication issues into corrective action management.

3.3 Department Heads:

(1) Manage communication activities within their department's scope of responsibilities, including internal departmental communication, inter-departmental coordination, and external communication related to departmental business.

(2) Ensure that departmental personnel are aware of quality requirements and changes related to their positions.

(3) Designate departmental information transmission liaisons to ensure smooth information interfaces between departments.

(4) Keep records of important information to be transmitted and archive them in a timely manner.

3.4 All Employees:

(1) Transmit and provide feedback on quality information related to their positions according to this procedure.

(2) Report quality issues and potential risks to their direct superior immediately upon discovery, without concealment or delay.

(3) Adhere to the company's unified communication guidelines in external communications and do not release quality information without approval.

4. Work Procedures

4.1 Overall Communication Planning

4.1.1 At the beginning of each year, the Management Representative organizes departments to identify internal and external communication needs based on the quality management system process list, and compiles the "Annual Communication Plan Table," specifying communication matters, recipients, methods, frequency, and responsible persons. The plan is reviewed by the Management Representative and approved by the General Manager before being issued for implementation.

4.1.2 Each communication activity should clearly define the five elements (5W1H communication model):

(1) What to Communicate (Content): Quality requirements, process information, change information, problem information, etc.

(2) When to Communicate (Timing): Regularly (as per the plan) and irregularly (event-triggered, such as nonconformities, major changes, emergencies).

(3) With Whom to Communicate (Recipients): Internal relevant positions/departments or external customers, suppliers, regulatory bodies, etc.

(4) How to Communicate (Methods): Meetings, written documents, emails, information systems, bulletin boards, phone calls, etc.

(5) Who is Responsible (Responsible Person): Clearly identify the sender and receiver, and for important communications, designate a single responsible person.

4.1.3 Communication information is classified into three levels based on its importance:

(1) Level A (Major Information): Information that may affect product conformity, significant customer interests, regulatory compliance, or company reputation, such as major quality incidents, batch nonconformities, product recalls, regulatory penalties, etc. This information must be reported to the Management Representative and the General Manager within 4 hours and released externally according to approval authority.

(2) Level B (Important Information): Information that affects the normal operation of processes or requires coordination among multiple departments, such as order changes, equipment failures, key personnel changes, supplier delivery anomalies, etc. This information must be transmitted to relevant parties within 1 working day.

(3) Level C (General Information): Routine information, such as meeting notices, report submissions, general work coordination, transmitted according to the plan or specified time limits.

4.2 Internal Communication

4.2.1 Main forms and requirements of internal communication:

(1) Meeting Communication: Includes management review meetings (at least once a year), quality meetings (once a month), departmental meetings (once a week), and special coordination meetings (as needed). Meetings should specify the agenda and participants, form a "Meeting Minutes," clearly define the resolution items, responsible persons, and completion deadlines, and be distributed to relevant departments by the meeting organizer within 2 working days and tracked for implementation.

(2) Document Communication: System documents, technical documents, notices, and announcements are distributed and reviewed according to the "Document Control Procedure" to ensure that relevant positions receive the effective versions of applicable documents.

(3) Information System Communication: Use the company's OA system, corporate WeChat/DingTalk groups, and email platforms to publish and transmit daily information. Important information must be confirmed in writing or through the system.

(4) On-site Communication: Use pre-shift meetings, bulletin boards, and quality notification boards to convey quality requirements, inspection results, quality goal completion status, and typical problem cases to frontline employees.

(5) Individual Communication: Employee opinions, suggestions, and complaints can be reported through hierarchical channels or directly to the Management Representative, who should respond within one week.

4.2.2 Vertical Communication (Between Superiors and Subordinates):

(1) The General Manager communicates the company's quality policies, objectives, and major quality decisions to the entire company through annual quality meetings, management reviews, and document issuance.

(2) Department heads are responsible for breaking down and conveying company requirements to their departmental employees and ensuring consistent understanding through regular meetings, training, and briefings.

(3) Employees report quality information to their superiors through hierarchical reporting. For information involving product safety or batch quality issues, they can report directly to the Management Representative.

4.2.3 Horizontal Communication (Between Departments):

(1) Information interfaces between departments are managed by department heads or their designated liaisons, and important information should be recorded in writing (in a "Communication Liaison Form").

(2) Quality information involving upstream and downstream processes (such as design changes, process modifications, inspection standard changes, delivery plan adjustments) must be transmitted in the form of controlled documents or written notices to prevent distortion from verbal communication.

(3) In case of inter-departmental disputes, the Management Representative organizes coordination, and the coordination results are recorded. If necessary, the General Manager is consulted for a decision.

4.2.4 Communication of Change Information: Information about organizational structure adjustments, position responsibility changes, process or inspection standard modifications, and system document revisions must be notified to all affected departments and personnel by the responsible department before implementation, and their understanding of the changes and their impact on their work must be confirmed according to the "Change Management Procedure" and the "Document Control Procedure."

4.3 External Communication

4.3.1 Communication with Customers:

(1) Before signing a contract, the sales department is responsible for communicating product requirements with the customer, including delivery methods, acceptance standards, packaging and transportation, after-sales service, etc. The communication results are used as inputs for contract review.

(2) During contract fulfillment, the sales department is responsible for transmitting changes in customer orders, technical requirements, and delivery schedules to relevant departments in writing and confirming internal implementation.

(3) Customer complaints and returns are promptly responded to according to the "Customer Satisfaction Monitoring and Measurement Procedure" and related complaint handling guidelines. Major complaints must be reported to the Management Representative within 24 hours.

(4) Regularly collect customer feedback through satisfaction surveys, visits, and follow-ups, and implement according to the "Customer Satisfaction Monitoring and Measurement Procedure."

4.3.2 Communication with Suppliers:

(1) The procurement department is responsible for communicating procurement requirements to suppliers, including product specifications, quality standards, delivery requirements, environmental requirements, etc. Important requirements are clearly defined in the "Quality Agreement" or contract terms.

(2) If incoming inspections find nonconformities or supplier delivery delays, the procurement department must provide written feedback to the supplier within 1 working day and require them to rectify within a specified period (according to the "Procurement and External Provider Control Procedure").

(3) Regularly communicate quality performance evaluation results and improvement requirements to suppliers through supplier review meetings and written notifications.

4.3.3 Communication with Regulatory Bodies and Certification Bodies:

(1) The Management Representative is responsible for coordinating audit arrangements with certification bodies and organizing audit preparation according to the "Internal Audit Procedure." Audit results are transmitted to relevant departments according to the procedure.

(2) Matters involving regulatory requirements (such as mandatory certification, metrological verification, environmental emissions, product sampling, etc.) are communicated by the responsible department to regulatory bodies. Upon receiving regulatory requirements, they must report to the Management Representative within 1 working day and organize implementation.

(3) External reports and statements must be reviewed by the department head and approved by the Management Representative or the General Manager before being sent out, and sending records must be retained.

4.3.4 Unified Communication Guidelines for External Communication:

(1) External information involving the company's quality image, product safety, major complaints, or incidents (such as press releases, media interviews, public statements) must be uniformly released by the General Manager or their authorized person. No department or individual may make statements without authorization.

(2) General external communication (daily business interactions, technical exchanges) is handled by the responsible department. If it involves contract terms or quality commitments, it must be reviewed by authorized personnel.

(3) External communication involving customer property or commercial secrets must comply with the company's confidentiality policy and must not be disclosed to unauthorized parties without permission.

4.4 Communication Channel Overview Table

4.5 Communication Management Flowchart (Text Version)

Identify Communication Needs (Annual Planning/Event Triggers) → Determine the Five Elements of Communication (Content/Timing/Recipients/Methods/Responsible Person) → Determine Transmission Time Limits and Approval Authorities by A/B/C Levels → Implement Communication (Meetings/Documents/Systems/On-site) → Confirm Understanding by Recipients (Important Information Must Be Confirmed in Writing or Through the System) → Execute and Track (Implement Resolution Items, Close Problem Loops) → Archive Records (Meeting Minutes, Communication Liaison Forms, etc.) → Evaluate Effectiveness (Regular Reviews by the Management Representative, Initiate Corrective Actions if Necessary).

4.6 Communication Records and Form References

(1) Meeting communication should fill out the "Meeting Minutes" (QR-12-01), recording the agenda, participants, resolution items, responsible persons, and completion deadlines.

(2) Cross-departmental and important external communication should use the "Communication Liaison Form" (QR-12-02), detailing the sending department, receiving department, communication items, handling results, and feedback deadlines.

(3) Annual communication arrangements should use the "Annual Communication Plan Table" (QR-12-03).

(4) Employee opinions, suggestions, and complaints should be recorded in the "Feedback Handling Record" (QR-12-04).

The above forms are managed according to the "Record Control Procedure" and must be retained for at least 3 years. Records involving contracts, complaints, and regulatory submissions should be retained for the duration specified in the relevant specific procedures.

5. Related Records

5.1 "Annual Communication Plan Table" (QR-12-03), retention period: 3 years.

5.2 "Meeting Minutes" (QR-12-01), retention period: 3 years.

5.3 "Communication Liaison Form" (QR-12-02), retention period: 3 years.

5.4 "Feedback Handling Record" (QR-12-04), retention period: 3 years.

5.5 Other records formed through communication (notices, emails, distribution records, sign-in sheets, etc.) are managed according to the "Record Control Procedure."

6. Related Documents

6.1 Quality Manual (including the corresponding chapter for clause 7.4).

6.2 "Document Control Procedure" (Package No. 3).

6.3 "Record Control Procedure" (Package No. 4).

6.4 "Customer-Related Process Control Procedure" (Package No. 14).

6.5 "Customer Satisfaction Monitoring and Measurement Procedure" (Package No. 23).

6.6 "Change Management Procedure" (Package No. 29).

6.7 "Nonconformity and Corrective Action Procedure" (Package No. 27).

Usage Instructions

1. How to Modify According to the Actual Situation of the Enterprise

1. Organizational Structure Adaptation: This procedure assumes a four-level structure: "General Manager—Management Representative—Department Heads—Employees." Small enterprises (20 people or fewer) can combine responsibilities, with the Quality Department Manager serving as the Management Representative and administrative personnel serving as information liaisons. Large group enterprises can set up communication liaisons in each factory/business unit and break down the annual communication plan to each level.

2. Channel Adaptation: Enterprises without an OA system can use corporate WeChat/DingTalk groups, emails, and written sign-offs as alternatives. For frontline workshops without computers, pre-shift meetings, bulletin boards, and paper notices are the primary channels, but important information (Level A) must be retained in written form. The principle for channel selection is "information can reach, receipt can be confirmed, and the process can be traced."

3. Industry Adaptation: Manufacturing enterprises should focus on horizontal communication between processes (first-piece confirmation, process changes, reporting of equipment anomalies). Service enterprises should focus on frontline communication with customers (service process confirmation, first-point-of-contact responsibility for complaints). Engineering project enterprises should focus on written communication and change confirmation with owners, supervisors, and subcontractors.

4. Level Adjustment: The three levels of information (A/B/C) and their time limits can be adjusted based on the company's risk tolerance, but the time limits for information involving product safety and regulatory compliance must be tightened, not relaxed.

5. Form Simplification: Small enterprises can merge the "Meeting Minutes" and "Communication Liaison Form" into a single "Information Communication Record Form" or embed the forms into the OA approval process to reduce paper circulation.

2. Audit Focus Points (Common Inspection Items for External and Internal Audits)

1. Ask the Management Representative and 2-3 employees: "How do you know the company's quality policy and objectives? How were you notified of the most recent change (such as a document revision or process adjustment)?" Verify whether internal communication channels are truly operational.

2. Check communication evidence: Review meeting minutes and communication liaison forms from the past 3 months to verify whether resolution items, responsible persons, and completion deadlines are recorded and whether they are closed on time—common nonconformities include only meeting sign-ins without resolution tracking.

3. Verify change communication: Select the most recent process change or document revision and check whether affected positions received notification before implementation, and whether there are sign-off or training records—confirm "communication before change" rather than "communication after change."

4. Check customer communication loops: Select 1-2 customer complaints or order changes and trace the entire process from receipt, transmission, handling, to response, verifying whether the time limits for each step meet the procedure requirements.

5. Check external communication guidelines: Identify any risk points of unauthorized external release of quality information; verify whether major quality incident notifications have been approved by the General Manager.

6. Check employee feedback channels: Ask employees whether they have channels to report quality issues and whether they are aware of the escalation reporting path—verify that "full participation" is not just on paper.

3. Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Only a list of channels, no communication planning—The procedure only states "communication can be done through meetings or emails" but does not answer "what to communicate, when, with whom, and who is responsible" as required by clause 7.4. This will result in the procedure not meeting the standard requirements during audits. Ensure the five elements of communication are clearly defined in section 4.1.

2. Verbal communication without records—Key information (order changes, inspection standard changes, process adjustments) is only communicated verbally, leaving no trace when issues arise. Any information affecting product conformity must be documented or recorded in the system.

3. Meeting minutes "recorded but not followed"—Resolution items lack responsible persons and deadlines, or follow-up is incomplete. The first item of the next regular meeting should check the implementation of the previous meeting's resolutions, and tracking records should be retained.

4. Communication channels disconnected from reality—The procedure specifies the use of the OA system, but frontline employees do not have accounts; or the procedure specifies the use of bulletin boards, but the workshop has none. The channels in the procedure must be those actually used by the enterprise.

5. Uncontrolled external communication guidelines—Sales personnel make unauthorized responses to customer quality commitments or release quality data externally. Clearly define the scope of authorization, and all important external information must be reviewed through a single channel.

6. Incorrect use of symbols: For time periods in this procedure and related records, use the full-width "～" (e.g., 4 hours, 1～3 working days, review every 6～12 months) to avoid using the half-width "~".

Five Elements Define Communication: Content, Timing, Recipients, Methods, Responsible Person

Knowledge Number: 2.3.1

Knowledge code: 2.3.1

Version: v20260809

Author: QTank QTank is dedicated to providing systematic professional knowledge, methodologies, and practical tools for quality management practitioners, helping enterprises continuously improve their quality capabilities.