QUALITY

IRNAS quality policy

The State Agency CSIC aims to promote, coordinate, develop, and disseminate multidisciplinary scientific and technological research to contribute to the advancement of knowledge and economic, social, and cultural development, as well as to the training of personnel and the provision of advice to public and private entities in this field. As a State Agency, one of its explicit objectives is “to meet the needs and demands of citizens with the level of quality that society currently demands.” The Institute of Natural Resources and Agrobiology of Seville (IRNAS), as a CSIC-owned center, follows the guidelines of the Central Organization. In fact, one of the objectives outlined in our Strategic Plan is to develop a quality system that increases the competitiveness of our services at a multisectoral level, enabling us to achieve accreditation and certification for our management quality. To this end, IRNAS maintains a Quality Management System based on the requirements of the UNE-EN-ISO 9001:2015 standard, applicable to our Scientific-Technical Services and the institute in general, and consistently integrating with CSIC principles. This policy provides the framework for establishing quality objectives, which are reviewed and updated annually to ensure continuous improvement in the delivery of our services. With our quality policy, we aim to:

• Promote the participation of IRNAS personnel in the operation of the management system and the development of this management policy.
• Manage and provide the necessary resources to train IRNAS personnel for the development of their activities.
• Manage and allocate the necessary resources to ensure the quality of their activities and the fulfillment of their mission.

The Management, with the aim of engaging all personnel and achieving their maximum involvement in this continuous improvement system, communicates IRNAS’s Quality Policy through talks, the institute’s website, and other available means. Currently, five of our services hold the UNE-EN-ISO 9001:2015 quality certification:

• Analysis Service
• Plant Ecophysiology Service
• Stable Isotope Laboratory
• Microorganism and Molecular Function Detection Service
• Plant Biotechnology Unit

Scope of the IRNAS Quality Management System (QMS)

The Director of IRNAS considers obtaining certification for IRNAS and its C-T Services of utmost importance, as it aligns with the policy of promoting a systematic approach to work and an adequate and efficient internal organization to improve working conditions and staff performance. One of IRNAS’s goals is to implement a Quality Management System throughout the institute in accordance with the current UNE EN ISO 9001 standard. Additionally, IRNAS aims to provide services that meet client needs and applicable legal and regulatory requirements through an effective and efficient system capable of enhancing client and staff satisfaction. To address the current landscape of social and productive interest, the following IRNAS Services have been the first to embark on the process of continuous improvement, obtaining certification for the following activities: “Plant Ecophysiology”: Activities related to the measurement of gas exchange in leaves and soil. “Detection and Function of Microorganisms and Their Molecules”: Aerobic prokaryote cultures (BATCH, Chemostat, and Retentostat). “Plant Crop Biotechnology”: Plant variety identification from plant samples. “Stable Isotope Laboratory”: Dry route elemental analysis, calculation of C and N percentages, and their stable isotope composition. “Analysis Service”: Determination of total nutrients and trace elements using ICP-mass spectrometry. Quality Certification

Commitment to Climate Change

On February 22, 2024, the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) and the International Standard Organization (ISO) jointly announced changes to management system standards to incorporate the importance of climate change within organizational contexts. This announcement responds to the London Declaration, which committed to ensuring that global standards support climate action. In this context, as our center is dedicated to research in natural resources and agrobiology, as reflected in our name, IRNAS integrates this commitment into our 9001 management system. To this end, we inform our clients upon request with the following note: “Dear clients, committed to the environment and climate change, we kindly request that you send us your samples free of plastic or use recycled containers. Additionally, please consolidate shipments into a single delivery to reduce potential transport-related pollution.“

User Participation in Service Improvement; Complaints and Suggestions

Users can contribute to the improvement of provided services through satisfaction surveys that will be distributed to them. Statistics on service performance commitments will be summarized in an annual report available upon request to any interested party. In cases of dissatisfaction or suggestions for service improvement, users can email the IRNAS Quality Committee at calidad@irnas.csic.es. If further dissatisfaction persists, users may access the CSIC complaints and suggestions system through the procedure established on its electronic headquarters at https://sede.csic.gob.es/quejas-y-sugerencias.