In our current globalized economy and complex supply chains, John Ruskin’s adage, “Quality is never an accident. It is always the result of intelligent effort” is even more relevant today than it was on the day he said it. Organizations cannot rely on chance and hope to deliver quality products and services; instead, they must establish a consistent and planned approach for managing quality. With over one million certified organizations worldwide, ISO 9001 remains the world’s most well-known standard, which provides organizations with a structured approach for quality management and helps them consistently provide products and services that meet and, where possible, exceed customer requirements.
What is ISO 9001?
Published initially in 1987, ISO 9001 is the first international management system standard (MSS) that specifies the requirements for the establishment, implementation, operation, maintenance, and continual improvement of a quality management system (QMS) in an organization.
ISO 9001 is based on seven quality management principles and it aims to help organizations be more efficient and improve customer satisfaction. A common misconception is that ISO 9001 is intended for larger companies and manufacturers. However, the requirements of ISO 9001 are generic and applicable to any organization, regardless of its type, size, or the products or services it provides.
Although ISO 9001 was initially published in 1987, it has undergone several revisions in order to keep up with good practices and trends in the business world and ensure continuous suitability. The latest (5th) edition of the standard is titled ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Systems – Requirements. After running a survey with over 8,000 respondents, in May 2021, the ISO subcommittee for quality systems (ISO/TC 176/SC 2) confirmed that ISO 9001:2015 is still relevant and recommended that it remains unchanged.
