What to expect from the next update of the ISO 9001 Standard?

The transition to the new version of the standard is taking longer than usual. On average, the previous four updates of ISO 9001 have occurred every 7 years, but this time, the last revision, in 2015, has been almost 10 years old. 

One main factor behind this delay was the COVID-19 pandemic, which affected the functioning of ISO technical committees at the international level.

So far, we know that the ISO TC 176/SC2/WG29 committee, consisting of more than 80 experts from more than 40 countries, has started working meetings to identify the main opportunities for change and to reach a consensus. At the end of 2023, the first working draft was generated, and the analysis was to be completed by 20th January 2024. However, it is still under discussion, albeit at an advanced stage and closer to consensus. The new version of the standard is expected to be officially published between late 2025 and mid-2026, with an informative draft available a few months earlier. 

But what can we expect to see as the most relevant changes? As ISO has demonstrated throughout its history, its priority has always been to adapt standards to the reality and demands of the economic, social, and technological context in which the daily life of any company or institution takes place. In that sense, the new version seems to be a proactive response to the current challenges faced by organizations linked to sustainability (ESG), uncertainty, dynamism, disruptive changes in the environment, and the progressive digitalization of organizations. 

While details are still subject to change, the update is expected to incorporate the following key elements:

• Risk-based thinking will continue to be prioritized, with greater emphasis on analyzing and exploiting opportunities to improve the organization. 
• Sustainability and social responsibility play important roles in analyzing and developing quality management system processes. This will allow the integration of these processes with the management processes of sustainability initiatives (environment, society, and governance), which is already happening in most organizations.   
• The focus on customer and stakeholder satisfaction will remain relevant. Deepening the continuous assessment of satisfaction data and information, as well as stakeholder feedback, will be essential.
• Global supply chain management, together with the key role of all actors involved, can also become more relevant in improving not only quality but also environmental and social impact, driving a more holistic view of processes.
• People skills and training as drivers for improvement are likely to be more visible and wider in scope than previously envisaged. Skills development will be promoted as a key element for continuous improvement and organizational resilience.
• Digitisation of organizational processes will be key. The new version is likely to include clearer guidelines on managing quality in increasingly digitized environments, covering areas such as information security, the use of Big Data, Artificial Intelligence, and the IoT (Internet of Things).
• Adaptability to change, and especially resilience, will also have a greater impact. While the importance of effective planning and management of organizational change has been emphasized so far, it is likely that in the future, more emphasis will be placed on the effectiveness of change and especially on the ability to learn from change. 

Regardless of the time that elapses before the review is completed and consensus is reached, Novotec's team of consultants constantly monitors the main sources of information and communicates with our clients to plan actions that are in accordance with the new requirements and the specific characteristics of the management systems of the wide range of companies that we support.

Any organization, regardless of size, must develop the right strategy well in advance. Each company is unique, and its management systems must be adapted to its needs and particularities. In this context, Novotec's in-depth knowledge and experience in adapting quality management systems, together with its ability to offer customized solutions, ensures that organizations are comprehensively accompanied on their path toward the successful transition to the new ISO 9001 standard. 

Authored by Hugo Pérez Bonetti, Senior Management Consultant, Novotec Consultores.