ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Systems Standard published

The standard has undergone its first major revision since 2000 to incorporate changes made following feedback from users and experts around the world. Terms crucial to understanding ISO 9001 are defined in ISO 9000, which has also been revised, with both standards having now been published.

Since 2000, the way we do business has changed enormously. We have instant access to information and higher expectations of organisations 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 organisation’s particular needs
• A requirement that those at the top of an organisation 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 organisation 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.

Anne Hayes, head of market development for governance and resilience at BSI (British Standards Institution), said: "The importance of achieving, maintaining and improving quality within organisations, cannot be emphasised enough. As supply chains become more complex and productivity levels increase, so does the need to ensure all contributing elements are operating to the highest standard. ISO 9001 is the world’s most used management system standard for good reason. It ensures businesses are not just doing ‘enough’, but taking additional steps to further reach their potential. The aim is to become more efficient, reliable and to enhance reputation and trust.”