Editorial · September 8, 2015
ISO 9001 Update 2015: What Suppliers and Buyers Should Know
ISO 9001 update news for buyers: a new edition of the quality standard, ISO 9001:2015, is in its final stage and is expected to be published this month. If you buy from suppliers that hold an ISO 9001 certificate, you will see the edition year on those certificates change over the next few years. This note explains what is changing and what to check.
What ISO 9001 is, in short
ISO 9001 is a standard for quality management systems. It sets out what a company must have in place to manage quality in a steady, repeatable way. An independent certification body audits the company and, if it passes, issues a certificate. The certificate is normally valid for three years, with check audits in between.
The standard has been revised before, in 1994, 2000 and 2008. The 2008 edition only clarified the 2000 text and added no new requirements. The new edition goes further than that.
Sources: ISO 9001, Wikipedia (edition history and certificate cycle); BSI Group, ISO 9001 quality management page.
What is changing in the 2015 edition
The draft text reaches buyers through five main changes:
- A new layout. The standard uses a ten-clause structure shared by other management standards, which makes it easier to combine with them.
- Risk-based thinking. A company must think about what could go wrong and act early, not only fix problems after they happen.
- Stronger leadership. Top managers must take part and be accountable, and quality must link to the business plan.
- Lighter paperwork rules. The company decides which documents it needs. A written quality manual and a named management representative are no longer required.
- Context. A company must understand its own setting and the needs of its customers and other interested parties.
In plain terms, the new edition cares less about the number of binders and more about whether the system works.
Sources: ISO 9001, Wikipedia (2015 revision summary).
The timeline suppliers are working to
The new standard is at the final draft stage. Publication is expected in September 2015. A transition period of three years from publication is planned. During that time, suppliers can move from the 2008 edition to the 2015 edition. Certificates to the 2008 edition are expected to stay valid until the end of the transition.
Do not read a 2008 certificate as a sign of a weak supplier. For now it is the current edition. A supplier that has already started the move to the new edition is a good sign, but it is not required today.
Sources: BSI Group, ISO 9001 quality management page (timeline). Check the ISO website for the final dates once the standard is out.
How to read an ISO 9001 certificate
A certificate is a short document. Read all of it. Here is a quick list of checks:
- Who issued it. Look for the name of the certification body. Ask if that body is accredited, and by whom.
- Which edition. The certificate names the standard and the year, such as ISO 9001:2008.
- The scope. This says which products or services are covered. A certificate for one service does not cover everything the supplier sells.
- The site. Check that the address matches the place where your goods are made or your service is run.
- The dates. Note the issue date and the expiry date. An expired certificate is no certificate.
If anything is unclear, ask the supplier for the audit summary or call the certification body to confirm the certificate is real.
What suppliers should do now
If you hold a certificate, get a copy of the new standard when it is out. Compare it with your current system and list the gaps. Then talk to your certification body about its plan for the move and the audit time it will need.
Focus first on the parts that change most: your risks, your context, and the role of your managers. Many firms find they already do much of this, but have not written it down in the way auditors will look for.
Start early. Three years sounds long, but audit slots fill up as the end date gets closer.
What buyers should do now
Ask each key supplier one simple question: what is your plan for the 2015 edition? A clear answer with dates is a good sign. A blank look is useful information too.
Keep a list of your suppliers, the edition each one holds, and the expiry date of each certificate. Review it twice a year. Update your purchase terms so they refer to "ISO 9001, current edition" and not to a fixed year.
A certificate shows that a system exists. It does not promise that every delivery will be perfect. Keep doing your own checks on samples and records.
Sources: ISO 9001, Wikipedia; BSI Group, ISO 9001 quality management page.