The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is scheduled to release ISO 9001:2026 in September 2026. Organizations maintaining their QMS certification under ISO 9001:2015 need to prepare for transition audits to the 2026 edition.

No drastic new requirements are expected in ISO 9001:2026. The ISO Technical Committee 176 for quality management introduced clarifications and editorial enhancements to produce the new edition with practical and more structured requirements that can guide continual improvements to the QMS currently used by certified organizations. For example, the requirements to address risks and to address opportunities have been segregated from one into two sub-clauses. This will remind organizations to keep a balanced focus on risks and opportunities that are relevant to their operations, thereby benefitting them with better outcomes from their risk-based approach to their QMS.

The attention of management leadership is drawn to the importance of demonstrating their organization’s quality culture and ethical behavior, both primary requirements embedded in the QMS. Furthermore, the 2026 edition emphasizes the importance of not only aligning the QMS with the policy and strategic goals of the organization, but also the need to monitor and evaluate the progress and outcomes of changes they introduced to their QMS or other relevant areas of their organization.

For inquiries regarding transition audits from ISO 9001:2015 to ISO 9001:2026, Certification International Philippines can be contacted through its website www.certificationinternational.ph, email: info@certintph.com, or phone: 86322790/91.

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