Customer-specific requirements (CSRs) are the conditions that automotive customers define in addition to, or as an interpretation of, IATF 16949 requirements.
Every OEM and many Tier 1 suppliers publish their own CSR document. These documents are part of the contract and are evaluated together with the IATF 16949 clauses in audits.
What do they cover?
- Which CQI special process assessments are to be applied
- The obligation to appoint a product safety and conformity representative (PSCR)
- Core Tools implementation expectations
- Deviation and field incident notification deadlines
- Supplier development and reporting conditions
- Record retention periods
Why is regular monitoring needed?
CSR documents are updated, and updates are not always announced separately. Tracking the current version is the supplier’s responsibility.
One of the most common nonconformities encountered in audits is working to an out-of-date CSR version.
Practical recommendation
Keep a CSR inventory per customer: which customer, which document, which version, when it was last checked, which obligations it creates. Without this inventory your training planning and your supplier audit programme remain incomplete.
The CSR is the document that determines which trainings are mandatory for you. If you have a plating process, for example, the CQI-11 or CQI-12 assessment applies; if a PSCR appointment is required, the product safety side comes into play. We can identify the right programme together based on the obligations in your CSR document.