Contrary to what alarmists with an interest in fueling controversy might say, ISO 9001 is still on the rise-and with good reason. The standard is capable of producing the desired results (i.e., consistent quality in goods and services globally), and its full potential is yet to be realized.

Organizations registered to ISO 9001 are widespread, and their numbers continue to grow. These companies implement the standard for a variety of reasons, and some are arguably better than others at anticipating the ultimate benefits. An organization seeking the greatest value from registration needs its top executives to support the effort. They must think of quality as a strategic issue and understand the role quality management systems play in organizational survival and growth.

Regrettably, many organizations probably don’t realize ISO 9001’s potential. It’s no wonder, then, that some of them have decided not to upgrade to the newly revised standard. Still, the most common reasons for not upgrading have little to do with lack of value. Rather, they include the need to conserve resources during an economic downturn, no customer requirement to maintain registration, and no plans to transition to sector standards or consolidate multiple registrations. Nonetheless, predictions of negative growth in ISO 9001 registrations seem misplaced.

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