The ISO 9001 standard was last modified in 2015. ISO standards are reviewed every five years to compensate for the changing modern business landscape.

There are two key changes made to the ISO 9001 standard. ISO 9001:2015 has eliminated the terms ‘documents,’ ‘procedures,’ and ‘records,’ deeming them outdated terms, and has replaced them all with ‘documented information.’ They aim to allow understanding and acceptance of alternative methods, for businesses to have greater control of their quality management system. The second major change is the introduction of risk management processes, assisting businesses to plan and implement preventative action.

When Should I Transition My ISO 9001 Certification?

After releasing an updated standard, the ISO allows a three-year transitional period from the date of publication. Certification to ISO 9001:2008 will no longer be valid after September 2018. It’s recommended from a business and marketing standpoint to update to the revised ISO 9001 standard earlier, rather than later.

How to Transition to the Updated ISO 9001 Standard?

We at Compliance Council have designed a simple 3-Step Transition Process, so your transition from ISO 9001:2008 to ISO 9001:2015 is efficient and cost-effective:

Step 1 - A gap analysis comparing your current systems to those outlined in the new standard.

Step 2 - Generating required system documents.

Step 3 - Implementation and review of documentation, to ensure your systems are compliant to the updated standard, and to ensure you will reach certification when visited by a third-party certification body. 

Why Should I Transition to the New ISO 9001 Standard?

It’s important to allow your business enough time to accommodate for a smooth transition to the updated ISO 9001 standard. Depending on the extent of revisions made to your quality management system, you may need to provide transitional training to your employees.

Updating your ISO 9001:2008 certification to ISO 9001:2015 shouldn’t be an inconvenience, it should be an opportunity. 

To learn more about updating your ISO certification, download our Transition Info Pack by clicking here.