GLOSSARY
EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
EMPOWERMENT
Literally “to have power or authority”, it is the achievement of power, responsibility and voice in decision-making centres of politics and economy, as well as in the family and society contexts.
GENDER
A concept which expresses the consolidated social and cultural differences between women and men. These differences change with time and vary within different cultures.
GENDER MAINSTREAMING
An innovative concept which includes the gender perspective - the consideration of the different needs and conditions of women and men - in every choice and action (in the political, the business and the social fields), so as to eliminate barriers and discriminations to the full economic, political and social involvement of women.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN
Substantial equality between men and women to be reached with the achievement of equal possibilities of success and equal favourable opportunities.
REMUNERATION EQUALITY FOR WORK OF EQUAL VALUE
Equal remuneration for work of equal value without discrimination on the basis of sex.
BALANCED INVOLVEMENT OF WOMEN AND MEN
The distribution of power and decision-making positions (representation of both sexes at least 40-60%) between men and women in every aspect of life; it is an important condition for equality between men and women.
GENDER EQUALITY
Equality between genders which considers also the different needs and conditions in order to reach equality in terms of rights, advantages, obligations and opportunities.
QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
QUALITY SYSTEM
The company’s quality system includes the organizational structure, the activities, the programmes and actions aimed at ensuring that a product, a process or a service conform to set objectives.
If we consider the meaning of the word quality in a broader sense, in terms of economy, safety, availability, trustworthiness and all the other characteristics required for the correct and satisfying use of the product or service, we can by extension say that the quality system aims at ensuring the client satisfaction and at involving the activity and functions of the company organization.
CERTIFICATION
The certification of the quality system of a manufacturing or service enterprise, is the formal act that the enterprise has achieved planned and documented activities to guarantee that its products or services are produced and supplied according to certain standards.
To be defined as such, the certification of the quality system must be carried out by official accredited bodies, that is, by those bodies or organisms which are able to test over time the quality system characteristics of the company.
ISO STANDARDS
Every company can choose the norms to which to adapt its development and the certification of its own quality system. However, apart from a few cases (nuclear, arms etc.), the reference model is the ISO 9000 series.
This regulation was issued in 1987 (the last edition was in 2000) by the International Organization for Standardization, with the aim of supplying a series of common regulations to all countries.
The ISO 9000:2000 family
ISO 9000:2000 - Quality management systems - Fundamentals and vocabulary:
a starting point for understanding the standards and the fundamental terms and definitions used in the ISO 9000 family.
ISO 9001:2000 - Quality management systems - Requirements:
it is the requirement standard to assess the ability to meet customer satisfaction.
ISO 9004:2000 - Quality management systems - Guidelines for performance improvements:
provides guidance for continual improvement of quality management system to benefit all interested parties.
