Bringing much excitement, speculation and questions to the quality management world, the revision of popular standard ISO 9001 has begun its preparation for its 2015 release.
While this may seem rather confusing for companies who have only recently begun to implement quality strategies, the impact of revised standards is one that will affect each and every company – even the small ones who do not put much mind to processes and protocols.
Before we take a look at what might be changed or improved with the release of ISO 9001:2015, let’s find out when it will actually be released and what else to expect from here until the big release date. ISO 9001 is a globally recognised standard set by the ISO (Organisation for International Standardisation). This standard has issued well over a million certificates to companies across the world seeking to achieve compliance in quality management.
Currently, the deadline for this standard to be revised is September 2015 – the ISO Technical Committee will be hard at work in the meantime to ensure that the revised standard can be published by this time.
How Do ISO Revisions Affect Quality Management Systems?
As you can imagine with a standard that is dedicated entirely to quality management systems (QMS), revisions are essential to ensure that standards are kept up to date according to the changing climates of the industry and business world as a whole.
The last major revision was done in 2000, with a minor revision completed in 2008, bringing changes to accreditation, certification, training, implementation, procurement, consulting and customer service. Some of the goals that the revised standard will need to meet include the following:
Right now, various steps are being taken to prepare for the release of ISO 9001:2015, which is available in its first draft, with further drafts taking place before the final release. For those wanting to stay updated on quality management news, be sure to follow our blog to track the progress of the standard revision.
