Countdown begins for ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System Standard launch
ISO 9001 has benefitted millions of organizations worldwide with users reporting increased growth and productivity and significantly higher customer satisfaction and retention.
In September the 2015 edition of ISO 9001 will be published – the first major revision of the standard since 2000. A final draft of the standard has now been released which incorporates changes made following feedback from users and experts around the world.
Since 2000 the way we do business has changed enormously. We all have instant access to information and higher expectations of organizations we work with, whilst having to deal with more complex supply chains and a globally competitive economy. ISO 9001:2015 has been revised to take this into account.
Some of the key changes include:
- Greater emphasis on building a management system suited to each organization’s particular needs
- A requirement that those at the top of an organization be involved and accountable, aligning quality with wider business strategy
- Risk-based thinking throughout the standard makes the whole management system a preventive tool and encourages continuous improvement
- Less prescriptive requirements for documentation: the organization can now decide what documented information it needs and what format it should be in
- Alignment with other key management system standards through the use of a common structure and core text
ISO 9000, which is also being revised and will publish at the same time, outlines the terms and definitions crucial to understanding ISO 9001.
Theuns Kotze, Middle East and Africa Regional Managing Director at BSI, said: “ISO 9001 is the world’s most used management system standard and as such all eyes are on this revision. The impact it has had in shaping how organizations manage the issue of quality correctly, is huge. No organization can afford to let their standards slip and the new ISO 9001 encompasses the changing needs of businesses.”
Existing certification customers have three years from the date the new edition publishes, to transition from the 2008 version. BSI has developed a suite of materials, services and courses to help make the transition as smooth as possible.
