Which of the following describes 'preventive action' in ISO 9001?

Preventive action in ISO 9001 refers specifically to actions taken to eliminate potential nonconformities before they occur. This proactive approach is essential for a robust Quality Management System, as it helps organizations identify and address risks that could lead to product or service failures, thereby improving overall quality and performance.

The focus of preventive actions is on anticipating issues and implementing measures to mitigate them, which directly aligns with the goal of ensuring continuous improvement and maintaining compliance with quality standards. By identifying potential problems or areas of concern in advance, organizations can implement strategies to prevent them from happening, ultimately leading to a more effective QMS.

The other options, while relevant to different aspects of an organization’s operation, do not specifically capture the essence of preventive action as defined in ISO 9001. For instance, actions to increase customer satisfaction may not inherently involve preventing nonconformities, but rather may focus on enhancing existing processes. Similarly, boosting employee productivity and complying with legal regulations relate to overall organizational effectiveness and governance but do not specifically address the foresight aspect of preventive actions in the context of quality management.