1. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WITH THE KLÄGER GROUP?
I joined Vema in 2013 as Head of Purchasing and Deputy Head of Quality Management. Before that, I worked, among other things, at a management consultancy for quality management in the IFS Food sector – so my enthusiasm for this field has been with me for a long time.
Since January 2023, I have been Management Representative for Vema and Kläger at the Neusäß site. In July 2024, my area of responsibility was additionally extended to include Kläger SPC.
2. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR ROLE AS MANAGEMENT REPRESENTATIVE?
The role of Management Representative is a central interface between the specialist departments and senior management.
I am responsible for the implementation, maintenance, and further development of the management systems within the company – including ISO 9001, ISO 13485, ISO 22716, ISO 14001, IFS HPC, and IATF. This includes ensuring compliance with legal and normative requirements, conducting internal and external audits, and training employees.
With the expansion of my area of responsibility to include Kläger SPC, the clear separation of Quality Management (QM) and Quality Assurance (QA) within the Kläger Group was finally implemented. Quality Management now operates as an independent, overarching staff function and can act objectively and holistically.
“I’m very much looking forward to the challenge of uniting all systems under one roof, the upcoming changes, and, most of all, the inspiring collaboration with colleagues from three companies.”
Petra Kopp on her expanded responsibilities following her assumption of quality management at Kläger SPC.
3. CAN YOU SHARE SPECIFIC EXAMPLES FROM YOUR DAILY WORK?
There is no typical, routine working day for me – the tasks are very varied.
One key focus is the evaluation of new legal and regulatory requirements in close collaboration with Regulatory Affairs. We assess their relevance for our companies and coordinate their integration into the existing management systems.
In addition, I work intensively on the further development of processes and organizational structures to ensure efficiency and cross-site applicability within the Kläger Group.
4. YOU CONDUCT NOT ONLY INTERNAL BUT ALSO EXTERNAL AUDITS WITH CUSTOMERS. WHAT DOES WORKING WITH CUSTOMERS LOOK LIKE FOR YOU?
Audits are a central part of my work.
Together with the audit team, we carry out internal and external audits and continuously develop our management systems.
For customer audits, we typically begin with a document audit, often conducted digitally via Microsoft Teams. This is followed by an on-site audit, during which the entire process is reviewed – from goods receipt through production to delivery.
These audits offer not only the opportunity for assessment, but also for professional exchange and the identification of areas for improvement.
5. LEGAL AND REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS ARE BECOMING INCREASINGLY COMPLEX. HOW IS IT ENSURED THAT ALL CURRENT DEVELOPMENTS ARE BEING FOLLOWED?
Compliance with legal and normative requirements is systematically organized.
An interdisciplinary team continuously monitors relevant developments, participates in training, and ensures knowledge transfer.
The central management tool is the legal register, in which all relevant obligations are recorded and regularly assessed.
In addition, subject matter experts – for example from the areas of occupational safety and energy management – support us in putting requirements into practice.
6. WHAT MAKES YOUR JOB EXCITING AND VARIED?
I have been working in quality management for over 20 years – and never before has the field evolved as dynamically as it has in recent years.
Current topics in quality management include:
- Artificial intelligence and machine learning for the early detection of quality deviations
- Sustainability and ESG criteria, which are increasingly being embedded strategically
- Quality 4.0, i.e. the digital transformation of quality management
These developments are fundamentally changing the profession and make it particularly exciting.
7. HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH RESISTANCE TO CHANGE?
Change almost always comes with resistance – particularly in the context of demographic change and digitalization.
In my view, transparent and clear communication is the most important foundation. At the same time, it is crucial to involve employees early and to provide targeted training. Empathy in dealing with concerns and sufficient time for adjustment processes also play a central role.
8. WHAT WERE THE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS LIKE WHEN YOU STARTED HERE?
When I started, the management systems were largely paper-based and the individual companies operated independently in this area – cross-site or cross-company coordination was barely taking place.
With the revision of ISO 9001 in 2015, process modeling software was introduced at Vema – an important step towards digitalization and transparency. This also marked the beginning of collaboration among the quality managers within the Kläger Group.
Since then, both the systems and the requirements have evolved significantly. Topics such as cybersecurity, sustainability, supply chain management, and ESG are now firmly embedded in the management systems and must be implemented and documented both strategically and operationally.
Overall, quality management has evolved from a heavily documentation-driven, isolated system into an integrated, increasingly digital, and strategic management tool.
9. LOOKING AHEAD – WHERE DO YOU SEE THE KLÄGER GROUP’S QUALITY MANAGEMENT IN FIVE YEARS?
Quality management will continue to grow in importance in the coming years and will become even more strategically oriented.
We will consistently advance digitalization and automation, and establish an increasingly data-driven approach to quality management.
At the same time, QM will be perceived even more strongly as an integral part of corporate culture.
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