The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is in a decisive phase of revising the world’s most widely applied Quality Management System (QMS) standard — ISO 9001.
At the end of August 2025, ISO issued the Draft International Standard (DIS) ISO 9001:2025 for public consultation, and the voting period closes on 19 November 2025.
Once comments and votes have been collected, the preparation of the final version — ISO 9001:2026 — will begin. The final publication is expected in the second half of 2026.
 
Structure and Philosophy – No Change
The core principles of ISO 9001 — the process approach, risk-based thinking, and the Plan–Do–Check–Act (PDCA) cycle — remain unchanged.
The familiar 10-clause structure is also maintained, ensuring continuity for already certified organizations.
This means that organizations will not need to rebuild their management systems from scratch but will only need to perform targeted updates to align with the new requirements.
 
Leadership, Ethics, and Quality Culture
Clause 5.1.1 – Leadership and Commitment now requires top management to actively promote a culture of quality and ethical behavior by:

• creating an environment where quality is a shared value;
• demonstrating leadership through personal example;
• ensuring ethical decision-making and integrity in management practices.

Clause 7.3 – Awareness adds that personnel must not only understand their responsibilities but also the organization’s quality culture and ethical principles.
 
Risks and Opportunities – Clearer Distinction
The management of risks and opportunities is now structured into two separate subclauses:

• 6.1.2 – Actions to address risks, and
• 6.1.3 – Actions to address opportunities.

This distinction emphasizes that the QMS should not only respond to risks but also actively seek opportunities for improvement and innovation.
Clause 6.3 – Planning of Changes has been expanded to require consideration of the purpose, consequences, required resources, competencies, responsibilities, and effectiveness after implementation.
 
Organizational Context and Climate Change
Clause 4.1 – Understanding the Organization and Its Context now explicitly includes climate change as a relevant factor, in line with the 2024 amendments to Annex SL.
Clause 4.2 – Understanding the Needs and Expectations of Interested Parties adds a note that such parties may have requirements related to climate change and sustainability.
In this way, ISO 9001 becomes harmonized with the broader ISO and ESG frameworks, emphasizing sustainable development and the long-term resilience of organizations.
 

Support, Knowledge, and Digitalization
Clause 7.1 – Resources includes editorial clarifications reflecting today’s on-site, remote, and hybrid working environments.
Although the terms data, software, and digital security are not explicitly added, the revision acknowledges that information and technology are essential resources for the effectiveness of the QMS.
Clause 7.1.6 – Organizational Knowledge has been refined to specify that knowledge must support the achievement of the intended results of its quality management system.
This highlights the importance of knowledge management, training, and information sharing in digital and cloud-based environments.
 
Operations and Control of External Providers
Clause 8 includes clarifications related to communication and control over external providers:

• 8.2.1 strengthens the expectation that organizations should inform customers of disruptions or interruptions in service delivery, where appropriate;
• 8.4.3 emphasizes the clear definition and communication of requirements to external providers and, where relevant, the sharing of such information with customers;
• 8.5.3 – Property Belonging to Customers or External Providers has been editorially simplified without introducing new requirements.

 
Performance Evaluation and Improvement
Clause 9.1.2 – Customer Satisfaction acknowledges that feedback may come from new sources, including social media and online platforms.
Clause 10 – Improvement maintains the principle of continual improvement; only editorial changes and renumbering of subclauses have been made, without new requirements.
 
Sustainability, ESG, and Organizational Resilience
The draft introduces a broader context related to sustainability, climate change, organizational resilience, and digital transformation, reflecting modern challenges.
Organizations are encouraged to consider:

• the environmental and social aspects of their activities;
• the sustainability of their supply chains;
• their readiness for digital and operational disruptions.

This strengthens the link between ISO 9001 and other management standards such as ISO 14001 and ISO 45001.
 
Why This Stage Matters
The DIS stage (Draft International Standard) is the final opportunity for official comments and proposals from national standards bodies and quality experts.
The vote by 19 November 2025 will determine whether the draft will proceed directly to the Final Draft International Standard (FDIS) stage or whether further revisions will be made.
 
What Comes Next for Organizations
The final version, ISO 9001:2026, is expected to be published in the second half of 2026.
The transition period for migration to the new edition will be determined by the International Accreditation Forum (IAF), depending on the official publication date. Typically, this period lasts around three years, during which organizations can gradually align their QMS with the new requirements.
 
The revision of ISO 9001 aims to make quality management systems more modern, ethical, and sustainable. Rather than a radical change, the new version represents a gradual evolution that will help organizations meet the challenges of the future.
Consejo will continue to monitor the finalization process of the standard and will provide up-to-date information on the next stages.