ISO 9001 Will Be Revised: What Certified Organisations Should Know Now
In 2023 the ISO committee responsible for ISO 9001 decided to revise the standard. Nothing changes for certified organisations yet, but the direction is worth following.
Key points
- The decision to revise ISO 9001:2015 was taken in 2023.
- ISO 9001:2015 remains the valid edition until a new one is published.
- A revision takes several years, followed by a transition period for certified organisations.
Why revise now
ISO reviews its standards regularly. Since 2015, organisations have had to deal with remote working, digital processes, supply chain disruption and stronger expectations on sustainability and ethics. The revision is an opportunity to reflect these in the standard and to adopt ISO’s updated common structure.
What to expect
Early indications point to an update, not a rewrite: the process approach, risk-based thinking and the ten-clause structure are expected to stay. The detail will only be known when drafts are published for comment.
What to do in the meantime
- Keep the current system working well: a strong 2015 system makes any transition simple
- Do not buy training or consultancy for a “new edition” before it exists
- Follow the published drafts through your national standards body
- Plan a budget for a gap analysis and auditor training once the new edition is published