AS9100 Clause 6.1 – Actions to Address Risks and Opportunities

AS9100 6.1 Actions to Address Risks and Opportunities requires that an organization identify and address risks and opportunities that could affect the effectiveness of its quality management system (QMS). This includes both positive and negative risks and opportunities.

Risks are events or circumstances that could have a negative impact on the QMS, while opportunities are events or circumstances that could have a positive impact on the QMS.

The organization should identify risks and opportunities by considering the following factors:

• The organization’s objectives
• The organization’s processes
• The organization’s environment
• The organization’s resources
• The organization’s stakeholders

Once risks and opportunities have been identified, the organization should assess the likelihood and impact of each risk or opportunity. The organization should then prioritize the risks and opportunities based on their likelihood and impact.

The organization should then develop and implement actions to address the risks and opportunities that have been prioritized. The actions should be appropriate to the likelihood and impact of the risk or opportunity.

The organization should monitor the effectiveness of the actions taken to address risks and opportunities. The organization should also review and update the risks and opportunities on a regular basis to ensure that they are still accurate and reflect the current state of the organization.

Here are some additional tips for implementing AS9100 6.1:

• Involve all stakeholders. When identifying and addressing risks and opportunities, it is important to involve all stakeholders, including top management, management representatives, and all other personnel who have a significant impact on the QMS. This will help to ensure that everyone has a voice in the process and that the risks and opportunities are identified and addressed in a comprehensive and effective manner.
• Use a risk assessment tool. There are a number of risk assessment tools available that can help organizations to identify and assess risks and opportunities. Using a risk assessment tool can help to ensure that the process is systematic and comprehensive.
• Keep it up-to-date. The risks and opportunities should be reviewed and updated on a regular basis to ensure that they are still accurate and reflect the current state of the organization. This will help to ensure that the organization is prepared for changes in its environment and that it is able to effectively manage risks and opportunities.