To remain the valuable business system that it currently is, ISO 9001 needs to continue to evolve, ensuring that organizations of all sizes, complexities, and locations see a clear connection between their strategic objectives and their quality management system (QMS). It is not just about meeting the requirements of a standard to get certification; ISO 9001 must be embedded in everything that the organization does.

A defining moment

In 2000, there were far-reaching changes made to ISO 9001, the international QMS standard. These changes were based on an extensive International Organization for Standardization (ISO) user survey but were also made at a time of widespread criticism of the standard and the third-party certification industry. The resulting changes proved to be a defining moment, resulting in a clear “before and after.” Prior to 2000, ISO 9001 was purely a conformity assessment standard; however, following the changes, which were rooted in key quality management principles, the standard became not only this but also a framework for managing and assessing organizations against accepted management best practices.

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