ISO 9001: The Leading Quality Management Standard and Its Future

ISO 9001 is a globally recognized standard for quality management. It specifies the requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining and continually improving a quality management system (QMS) to achieve quality policies and objectives. This international standard defines how you must operate to meet customer and stakeholder requirements.

It also helps you enhance customer satisfaction by effectively implementing a QMS, which includes processes for system improvement and the assurance of conformity to customer and applicable statutory and regulatory requirements.

With more than one million ISO 9001 certificates issued to organizations in about 190 countries, it is the most widely used quality management standard.

ISO 9001 has seven management principles:

• Customer focus
• Leadership
• Engagement of people
• Process approach
• Improvement
• Relationship management
• Evidence-based decision-making

Certification follows successful completion of an audit and enables you to:

• Operate more efficiently and save money
• Meet statutory and regulatory requirements
• Reach new markets
• Identify and address risks
• Increase customer satisfaction and loyalty
• Align with UN Sustainable Development Goals 1, 9, 12 and 14

The future: ISO 9001 revisions are underway

This leading standard is currently going through a revision process. The revised version is expected to be published in September 2026. We will continue to follow this and update you when we can, particularly regarding how the revision might impact ISO 9001-certified organizations.

If you are certified to ISO 9001:2015, the publication of the revised standard presents the perfect opportunity to review and update your QMS. This will allow you to ensure that your system effectively addresses any changes and aligns well with your needs, as well as those of your customers and other stakeholders.

Currently certified organizations will have a transition period to migrate their QMS to the new edition.

How can SGS help?

As the world’s leading testing, inspection and certification company, with decades of experience, we can help you along the path to certification with an ISO 9001 audit. Your audit can include a gap assessment and benchmarking. We will determine your level of quality management and provide advice on how to achieve ongoing improvement. We will also support you through the transition process at the optimal time.

We also offer a range of complementary services, including ISO 9001 training and integrated management systems certification.

Contact us today to discuss your ISO 9001 certification and training needs.