ISO 9001 is entering a new chapter. The sixth edition of the world’s most widely recognised quality management standard is scheduled for publication on 16 September 2026, replacing ISO 9001:2015.
The Final Draft International Standard, ISO/FDIS 9001, has already received strong international approval and has entered the final publication stage. For auditors, quality managers and organisations with an established quality management system, now is the right time to begin preparing.
The revision does not mean that every quality management system must be rebuilt from the ground up. However, it will require professionals to understand the updated requirements, review existing processes and determine where changes may be needed.
ISO standards are periodically reviewed to ensure they remain relevant. ISO 9001:2015 was published more than a decade ago, and the business environment has changed considerably since then.
Organisations now operate in a world shaped by rapid technological development, evolving stakeholder expectations, increasingly complex supply chains and new approaches to risk and organisational resilience.
Following an international consultation in 2023, it was agreed that revising ISO 9001 would help the standard continue to meet the changing needs of organisations and the quality management community.
The new edition is intended to maintain the core value of ISO 9001 while ensuring that its terminology, concepts and requirements remain applicable to modern organisations.
The final standard has not yet been published, so organisations should be cautious about treating unofficial summaries as definitive requirements.
What has been officially confirmed is that:
ISO has also published ISO 9000:2026, which provides the fundamentals and vocabulary supporting quality management systems. The new edition introduces updated terminology and concepts aligned with the forthcoming ISO 9001 revision.
Once ISO 9001:2026 is officially available, auditors and quality professionals will need to work from the published text and recognised transition guidance—not assumptions based on earlier drafts.
Auditors will play a central role in helping organisations understand and respond to the revised standard.
Both internal and external auditors will need to become familiar with the final requirements and consider how they affect audit planning, evidence gathering, interviews and reporting.
Preparation may include:
Auditors should avoid approaching the revision as a simple checklist exercise. Effective auditing requires an understanding of the intent behind each requirement and how it applies within the context of a particular organisation.
Training will therefore be important not only for identifying textual changes, but also for understanding how the revised standard should be interpreted and audited in practice.
Quality managers and other responsible professionals do not need to wait until the publication date to begin preparing.
A sensible first step is to assess the organisation’s current level of readiness. This does not require making speculative changes based on an unpublished standard. Instead, teams can make sure their existing quality management system is well understood, properly maintained and supported by reliable evidence.
Organisations can begin by:
Confirm that current processes, responsibilities and documented information are accurate. Existing weaknesses will be easier to address before the formal transition begins.
Determine which employees, auditors, managers and process owners will need an introduction to the new edition and who will require more detailed transition training.
Follow updates from ISO, certification bodies and recognised training providers. Key details about transition arrangements should be confirmed through authoritative sources.
Once the final standard is published, compare it with the current edition, identify relevant gaps and assign responsibilities for the necessary actions.
Senior management should understand that transitioning to the new edition may require time, training and resources. Early communication can prevent the process from becoming a last-minute compliance exercise.
Reading the new standard will be necessary, but it may not be enough for professionals responsible for auditing or implementing its requirements.
Structured training can help auditors understand:
Training is particularly important for new auditors, who need a strong understanding of both the standard and the principles of effective auditing. Experienced auditors will also need to update their knowledge and avoid relying solely on established practices developed around the 2015 edition.
ISO 9001:2026 represents an opportunity to look beyond certification and consider whether a quality management system still supports the organisation effectively.
For auditors, the revision means developing an informed and consistent understanding of the new requirements. For quality professionals, it provides an opportunity to review current processes, strengthen internal knowledge and prepare the organisation for a structured transition.
The organisations that begin planning early will be better positioned to respond confidently once the final standard and transition guidance are available.
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Publication timing and status are based on current information from ISO and the ISO/TC 176 revision update. Transition requirements should be confirmed after the final standard and relevant guidance are published.
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