There is a lot of information, some would say, misinformation about the direction of the revision of ISO 9001. If you want to cut through the noise and misinformation, read this article.
Whilst this website, normally, covers environmental and sustainability topics, quality management can contribute to sustainability in the quality of the goods and services that we access on a daily basis.
So what is ISO 9001, what is the timeline for revision, the expected changes & the impact on current ISO 9001:2015 certification.
What is ISO 9001?
As a recap, it is important to recognise that ISO 9001:2015 is the most widely used ISO Standard with over 1 and a quarter Million sites (1,250,243 according to the ISO Survey in 2023) across the globe, millions upon millions of products and services that are delivered within a quality management system based on ISO 9001:2015 & trusted by an even greater number of organisations within their supply chain and in their delivery to the customer. Add to that, the accreditation and certification bodies, Auditor and Consultants, we are talking about a significant infrastructure to support quality management across the globe.
What is the timeline to the publication of the new edition of ISO 9001?
A revision of the current ISO 9001:2015 version has been underway since January 2024, when the Working Group 29, first, started its drafting of the revision. After two internal Committee Drafts (CD1 and CD2), a Draft International Standard (DIS) was released for comment by users of ISO 9001 & a ballot by the world’s National Standards Bodies, such as BSI & ANSI on 27 August 2025 (more about that in a moment).
After the ballot, comments will be reviewed and a final revision, the Final Draft International Standard (FDIS) is expected to be prepared for a final ballot within ISO and with its National Standards Bodies.
Based on that timeline, it is anticipated that ISO 9001 will be published in September 2026 & will become ISO 9001:2026.
What are the current changes in the ISO DIS 9001?
Despite many quality pundits and doomsayers, the Draft International Standard of 9001 is a moderate update or refresh, and is not a revolutionary change. So no requirements referencing artificial intelligence (AI) or climate change beyond that introduced in the earlier amendment or sustainability, although, sustainability is mentioned three times in the informative Annex A.
It contains many new practical changes partly instigated by the revision of Annex SL (the standard format on which all Management System Standards are designed – More about Annex SL can be found in our YouTube video here). These changes can be seen in the interested-party requirements, where the organisation can choose, which, they will address.
Other changes recognise the greater emphasis on the planning of changes; the role of quality culture and ethical behaviour within leadership & awareness; customer communications & an informative Annex A guidance offering guidance on the implementation of each of the Clauses within ISO DIS 9001.
How to get access to the ISO DIS 9001?
Traditionally, you can buy a copy of the Draft International Standard from ISO, its National Standards Body members, such as BSI and ANSI or resellers of ISO Standards. Currently, a pdf version of ISO DIS 9001 is available here for 65 Swiss Francs (approximately 82 US Dollars, 70 Euros or 60 British Pounds), whilst ANSI have a non-Member cost at 84 US Dollars here.
It is worth waiting for the Final Draft International Standard (FDIS) or even the final published edition to ensure that you can fully digest any new or changed requirements and their impact on your quality management system
How will this affect my ISO 9001:2015 certification?
With the large number of ISO 9001:2015 certificate issued across the world, it is anticipated that the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) will review their response to the new 2026 edition with a two or three year transition period for certification bodies and their certified clients to move their quality management systems from the 2015 to 2026 edition. That could mean that your earliest date for transition could be March 2027 and the latest, either September 2028 or, more likely, September 2029.
We have covered a lot of ground in this article on the revision of ISO 9001, I hope that it find it useful for your understanding of the direction of quality management over the next four years & help you start your journey towards enhancing your quality management system for the new edition of ISO 9001.
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