Management review explained
The management review, called directiebeoordeling (management review by the board) in Dutch, is a mandatory meeting in which top management assesses how the management system is performing. Every ISO management system standard requires this in clause 9.3 of the High Level Structure. It is not the same as an ordinary team meeting. Certain topics are mandatory, and the outcome must be recorded.
For the external auditor of your accredited certification body, the management review is crucial evidence. It shows that management is involved in the system, not only the quality manager. Always keep the minutes and decisions.
Mandatory input
The standard specifies which topics you must discuss. These mandatory inputs appear in every standard.
| Mandatory input topic | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Status of actions from the previous review | Have earlier decisions been carried out? |
| Changes in context | New opportunities or risks, changed legislation, market changes |
| Results of performance monitoring | KPIs, achievement of objectives |
| Results of internal audits | Findings, trends, open actions |
| Customer satisfaction and feedback from interested parties | Complaints, compliments, signals |
| Process performance and product conformity | How are the core processes performing? |
| Results of external audits | Outcomes of the certification audit |
| Performance of external suppliers | Problems or nonconformities at suppliers |
| Adequacy of resources | Do you have enough people, budget and tools? |
| Recommendations for improvement | Proposals for changing the system |
Common mistake: the management review is filled in entirely by the quality manager, and the director only signs it. That is not enough. Management must demonstrably take part in the discussion. Record who attended.
Mandatory output
The management review is the act phase of the PDCA cycle at system level. After the management review, you record decisions. These are the mandatory outputs.
| Mandatory output topic | What you record |
|---|---|
| Opportunities for improvement | Concrete actions with an owner and a deadline |
| Changes to the management system | Changes to policy, scope or objectives |
| Resource needs | Extra budget, people or tools that are needed |
Agenda example
You do not need to schedule a separate meeting. Many organisations combine the management review with an existing management meeting. Just make sure the mandatory topics are demonstrably covered in the minutes.
A practical agenda example:
- Feedback on action points from the previous review (5 minutes)
- Context: are there external or internal changes? (10 minutes)
- KPI overview: are we meeting our objectives? (15 minutes)
- Results of internal and external audits (15 minutes)
- Customer signals and complaints (10 minutes)
- Supplier performance (5 minutes)
- Resources: do we have enough? (5 minutes)
- Decisions and actions for the coming period (10 minutes)
How often?
The standard does not prescribe a minimum frequency. “Periodic” is the only word it uses. Most organisations hold it once a year, preferably after the internal audit and before the surveillance audit by the certification body.
Want more control? Hold it every six months. You then have more management information in between, and the annual audit is much less stressful.
Step-by-step preparation
Gather the input data
Before the meeting, collect the KPI report, the audit results, the complaint overviews from your complaints register and the status of action points. Send these to participants in advance.
Plan the meeting
Reserve at least one hour. Make sure top management attends in person, not through a representative. Record who attends in the minutes.
Conduct the discussion
Work systematically through the input topics. Record decisions at the end of each agenda item.
Record the outcomes
Write minutes with the decisions, owners and deadlines. A signature from management makes the management review demonstrable.
Archive
Keep the minutes for at least three years, so you can show them at the next audit.
Standard-specific detail
The principles above apply to all HLS standards. The ISO 9001 standard has a detailed page on the management review with concrete examples: management review under ISO 9001.
Link with internal audit and ISO software
The management review can only be prepared well if your internal audit results are available. Some organisations use ISO software to bring the input data together automatically in a dashboard, so they do not have to spend an hour searching for KPIs and action lists.