Management Review
Definition
The annual governance meeting required under ISO 17025 Clause 8.9, at which laboratory management reviews the aggregated quality performance data (PT results, nonconformities, IQC trends, complaints, audit findings) and makes documented decisions about resources, training, equipment, and policy to address systemic issues.
- Standard
- ISO 17025 Clause 8.9
- Frequency
- Annual
- Inputs reviewed
- PT results, IQC trends, nonconformities, complaints, audit findings
- Output
- Documented decisions on resources, training, equipment, policy
Common questions
How does management review differ from an internal or external audit under ISO 17025?+
An audit checks whether the laboratory is actually following its documented procedures and conforming to the standard, examining evidence and records. Management review is a higher-level governance activity where leadership steps back and looks at aggregated performance data across the whole quality system to decide whether resources, policies, or priorities need to change.
What happens if a laboratory's management review identifies a systemic issue?+
The review is expected to produce documented decisions and actions, such as additional staff training, equipment replacement, or a policy revision, rather than simply noting the issue. Accreditation bodies expect to see these actions tracked to completion at the following review cycle.
Related terms
- Annex a
- The normative annex to ISO/IEC 27001 that lists 93 information security controls across four themes: organisational (37 controls), people (8), physical (14),...
- Continual Improvement
- The ISO/IEC 27001 requirement (clause 10) that the organisation must actively improve the suitability, adequacy, and effectiveness of the ISMS over time....
- Corrective Action and CAPA
- The ISO 17025 Clause 8.7 requirement for root-cause analysis and documented corrective and preventive action (CAPA) following any nonconformity (PT failure, IQC...
- ENFSI (European Network of Forensic Science Institutes)
- The umbrella organisation representing public forensic science laboratories across Europe. Develops best practice manuals for forensic disciplines, runs proficiency testing schemes, and...
- ILAC MRA (International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation Mutual Recognition Arrangement)
- An agreement among national accreditation bodies (NABL, A2LA, UKAS, DAkkS, etc.) under which accreditation by any signatory body is recognised as equivalent,...
- ISMS Scope
- The explicit boundaries of the management system: which organisational units, sites, processes, and information assets are covered. Defined under ISO/IEC 27001 clause...
- ISO/IEC 17025:2017
- The international standard specifying general requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories. Covers management (document control, non-conforming work, audits) and...
- Measurement Uncertainty
- A quantitative statement of the range within which the true value of a measurement lies, at a stated confidence level (typically 95%,...
- Method Validation
- The process of demonstrating that an analytical method does what it claims: that it correctly identifies the target analyte, at what sensitivity,...
- NABL (National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories)
- India's ISO 17025 accreditation body, operating under DPIIT and signatory to the ILAC MRA since 2001. Accredits CFSLs and SFSLs for specific...
- Proficiency Testing (PT)
- A quality assurance mechanism in which laboratories analyse blind samples distributed by an external scheme coordinator and have their results compared against...
- Risk Treatment Plan
- A document that records, for each identified risk, the chosen treatment option (accept, avoid, transfer, or reduce), the specific controls selected to...
Explained in these topics
- Designing and Implementing an ISMSA periodic review by senior leadership (clause 9.3) that assesses ISMS performance, the results of internal audits, changes in context and risk, and whether th...
- ISO 17025, NABL, ENFSI and Quality Systems for Forensic Chemistry Laboratories