From August 27 to October 14, 2025, theInternational Organization for Standardization (ISO) is inviting public comments on the next edition of ISO 9001, a global pillar of quality management. Millions of certified organizations worldwide are encouraged to participate in the development of this text, which will influence quality management for the next ten years.
đ Why a review now?
The previous version of ISO 9001 dates back to 2015. Since then, the economic and social landscape has changed considerably:
- Digital transformation: data deluge, cybersecurity issues, emergence of artificial intelligence.
- New customer expectations: development of e-commerce, use of social networks, omnichannel customer experience.
- Sustainability and climate: greater integration of environmental issues into corporate strategy.
- Resilience: health crises, supply chain interruptions, geopolitical tensions.
In this context, the standard is currently being revised, with publication scheduled for October 2026.
đ Major changes planned
According to the preliminary studies and the orientations of the ISO/TC 176 technical committee, several significant changes are expected:
- Distinct risks and opportunities: improving strategic planning (chapter 6).
- Climate considerations: climate considerations, already initiated by amendment A1 of 2024, will be further strengthened.
- A culture of quality and ethics: a focus on governance, transparency and social responsibility.
- Customer experience: better integration of customer satisfaction and loyalty in performance evaluation (chapter 9).
- Emerging technologies: consideration of the effects of AI, automation and digitization on quality processes.
- Organizational resilience: the need to identify and anticipate disruptions that could affect business continuity.
These changes are part of a gradual adaptation process, while preserving the fundamental principles of the standard: purpose, scope, PDCA cycle and risk-based approach.
đ What are the challenges for companies that are already certified?
For entities that are already ISO 9001 certified, the revision presents both a challenge and an opportunity:
- Anticipating new requirements: integrating the climate dimension, ethics and resilience into their quality systems now.
- Improved global competitiveness: up-to-date certification will be an advantage in international markets, particularly in the face of increasing customer demands.
- Facilitation for SMEs: the forthcoming version aims to make the standard more accessible, with clarified documents.
- Harmonization with other standards: greater compatibility with ISO 14001 (environment) and ISO 45001 (health and safety), facilitating an integrated approach.
- Team mobilization: the review emphasizes management commitment and a shared culture of quality.
đ Next steps
- July 2025: Start of international public consultation.
- November 2025: ISO national committees vote.
- October 2026: Official publication of ISO 9001:2026.
Each country, via its national standards body, will collect feedback from stakeholders and pass it on to ISO. This is a valuable opportunity for companies, certifiers and experts to influence the world's most widely used standard.
â Summary
The revision of ISO 9001 is not a revolution, but a strategic update that responds to contemporary realities: climate, digitalization, ethics and resilience. For companies already certified, getting ready today means turning a constraint into a sustainable competitive advantage.
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