ISO 9001 is a globally recognized standard for quality management. It helps organizations of all sizes and sectors to improve their performance, meet customer expectations and demonstrate their commitment to quality. Its requirements define how to establish, implement, maintain, and continually improve a quality management system (QMS).
Implementing ISO 9001 means your organization has put in place effective processes and trained staff to deliver flawless products or services time after time.
With more than one million certificates issued to organizations in 189 countries, ISO 9001 is the most widely used quality management standard in the world. Within the ISO 9000 family, which defines seven quality management principles including a strong customer focus and continual improvement, ISO 9001 is the only standard that can be certified to (though certification is not mandatory).
Business benefits include:
Any organization that wants to improve its quality management system, meet customer and applicable statutory and regulatory requirements, and enhance customer satisfaction can use the ISO 9001 standard. It is suitable for organizations of any size, and applies to all sectors, including manufacturing, services, healthcare, education, government, and non-profit organizations. ISO 9001 can also be used by certification bodies or other third parties to assess an organization’s conformity with this International Standard.
ISO has a range of standards for quality management systems that are based on ISO 9001 and adapted to specific sectors and industries. These include:
The ISO 9001 standard specifies requirements for the establishment, maintenance, and continuous improvement of a quality management system, covering a wide range of topics including:
Overall, ISO 9001 helps organizations address all aspects of managing the quality of their products and services, with an emphasis on customer satisfaction and constant enhancement of the quality management system.
The most recent revision of ISO 9001 was finalized in 2015. Ensuring that all ISO standards remain current and relevant for the marketplace is crucial. After extensive international consultation, a consensus was reached in August 2023 that revising the standard would add value. This revision aims to align ISO 9001 with the current needs of standard users and the communities they serve.
The revised version of ISO 9001 is expected to be published at the end of 2025.