ISO 9001:2015 was published earlier this morning!
Experts from over 80 countries have spent the last three years revising ISO 9001 to ensure that this standard meets the requirements of modern life.
An evolutionary process approach was taken in the revision of ISO 9001. The 2015 version will be performance-based. Nigel Croft, Chairman of the ISO Technical Committee TC 176/SC 2 says:
“We are just bringing ISO 9001 firmly into the 21st century. The earlier versions of ISO 9001 were quite prescriptive, with many requirements for documented procedures and records. In the 2000 and 2008 editions, we focused more on managing processes, and less on documentation. We have now gone a step further, and ISO 9001:2015 is even less prescriptive than its predecessor, focusing instead on performance.”
The main changes to be expected by users of ISO 9001:2015 are:
- Structure – like other new or revised management system standards, ISO 9001:2015 will follow Annex SL. This new structure will allow organisations to implement multiple integrated management systems like ISO 14001:2015 for example.
- The process approach from the 2000 and 2008 versions of ISO 9001 has been maintained in ISO 9001:2015.
- Introduction of risk-based thinking throughout the standard – the term ‘preventive action’ has been removed. The whole standard is focused on preventing bad things from happening and looking for ways to leverage new opportunities such as new technologies.
- Leadership – the new Annex SL structure allows for more engagement from top management in the management system.
Organisations will have three years to complete the transition process to ISO 9001:2015. This process will conclude in September 2018 meaning any remaining ISO 9001:2008 certificates will not be valid after this.
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