The Ultimate in Quality Management Systems of ISO 9001 Certification

ISO 9001:2015 will replace ISO 9001:2008. The updated ISO 9001 was released on Wednesday, 23rd September 2015.

ISO 9001:2015 outlines requirements for a quality management system where an organization must prove its ability to consistently provide products that meet customer and applicable statutory and regulatory requirements, aiming to boost customer satisfaction through the effective application of the system, including processes for continuous improvement and ensuring compliance with client and regulatory needs. All requirements of ISO 9001:2015 are generic and meant to be applicable to all organizations, regardless of type, size, and product offered.

“We have now progressed further, and ISO 9001:2015 is less prescriptive than its predecessor, focusing more on performance. We achieved this by merging the process approach with risk-based thinking and using the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle at all organizational levels.

All ISO standards are reviewed every five years to ensure they remain relevant to the market. ISO 9001:2015 is the outcome of a multi-year process involving representatives from ISO member countries and global stakeholders.

ISO 9001:2008 had five main sections (4 to 8), while ISO 9001:2015 now has seven (4 to 10). This change is due to the new Annex SL template. According to ISO, all future management system standards (MSSs) will follow this new format and share the same basic requirements, resulting in a consistent look and feel.

Section 4.3 of ISO 9001:2015 states, “The organization shall apply all the requirements of this International Standard if they are applicable within the determined scope of its quality management system.” Thus, once you determine the scope of your QMS, ISO 9001:2015 mandates that every relevant requirement must be implemented within the defined boundaries of your scope statement.