May 21, 2025
In the third and final part of our Human Factors in CAPA series, we’re tackling the big one: management commitment.
Why is it so important?
Because getting your leaders truly committed to CAPA—not just saying the words—is what ultimately gives your program the visibility, authority, and momentum it needs to work.
It’s true whether you’re building or enhancing your CAPA program, or just trying to ensure compliance with your existing one.
So let’s talk about why it matters, why traditional tactics usually fall flat, and some alternative strategies to get leaders on board and excited.
Free white paper: How to Safeguard Your CAPA Process from Stakeholder Failures
Why Management Commitment Matters in CAPA
Any quality initiative is destined for failure unless you have leadership behind you. It’s not just about approving the budget—it’s about showing up, setting the tone for quality culture and leading by example.
Here’s what happens when you get that kind of support from management:
- It ensures your CAPA program and tasks get the attention and prioritization they deserve
- It provides the necessary authority for action, without which it’s extremely difficult to make the changes that are required
- It establishes a standard of performance where management helps support expectations and accountability across the organization
- It speeds up decision-making, since management can cut through red tape
Why Traditional Approaches to Securing Management Commitment Miss the Mark
People typically take one of two approaches to securing leadership support for their CAPA programs. They either start with a presentation to lay out the business case, or they launch a traditional executive sponsorship.
Let’s look at why those don’t tend to work in the real world:
- Dry business case presentations: It’s tempting to present data-heavy decks, but these aren’t likely to keep an executive’s attention. Even worse, it can have the opposite effect, where your CAPA program seems like just another cost center for them to worry about.
- Executive sponsorship in name only: Leaders often agree to “sponsor” initiatives but provide little follow-through after the initial meeting. Because it’s not tied to tangible outcomes, it becomes just another box to check, rather than an opportunity to contribute something meaningful.
Creative Strategies to Secure Management Commitment and Support
If you want results, you’ve got to be willing to think outside the box. Below are some strategies that worked for me—they’re a little different, but that’s precisely what makes them so effective.
CAPA Champions
Instead of asking one leader to own the whole program, break it down so that each leader sponsors a specific part of the CAPA process (e.g., investigations or effectiveness checks).
Sponsoring a small part of the process rather than the entire program is way less intimidating for leaders, and is also less of a time commitment.
One way we made it exciting was by hosting a “CAPA Draft Day” reveal, complete with fact sheets for each leader highlighting their CAPA focus and fun personal facts.
We also gamified the process by holding a competition to see whose area achieved the most success within a set time frame. This made their involvement visible to everyone, helping to gain buy-in from the team as a whole.
CAPA as Part of a Leadership Legacy
Another strategy that hits home for many today is framing CAPA as part of a leader’s long-term legacy and an investment in the company’s future. When management publicly supports CAPA, they go beyond just dealing with today’s problems. They become a leader who helped build a lasting foundation that protects the company reputation for quality.
One way to support that idea is by featuring execs on a “CAPA Wall of Fame.” Ideally, you want to put it in a high-traffic area (like near the breakroom) to make these successes visible to everyone.
Another approach with this strategy is to host town halls where leaders share real stories, challenges and successes with CAPA, and how those impacted the company and the team. This makes CAPA personal and powerful, and it gets people to care.
Conclusion
These ideas might sound far-fetched at first, but so did electric vehicles once. The truth is, they don’t require a big budget or major time investment, and even small, creative steps can spark lasting change.
What’s important to recognize is that you won’t get management commitment with slide decks and reports. You get it by making leaders part of the story.
Get them involved. Make it personal. Make it visible. Make it fun. When you do, you’ll see the difference—not just in CAPA outcomes, but in your entire culture.
Get more tips and tricks to make your CAPA program stronger in our on-demand Quality Digest webinar, Human Factors in CAPA Management
To read Human Factors in CAPA Part I: How To Improve Employee Engagement, click here.
To read Human Factors in CAPA Part II: How To Improve CAPA Accountability, click here.
About the Author
Stephanie Ojeda is Director of Product Management for the Life Sciences industry at AssurX. Stephanie brings more than 15 years of leading quality assurance functions in a variety of industries, including pharmaceutical, biotech, medical device, food & beverage, and manufacturing.
