Establish your starting point
Review your current system, the way it is used and your certification plans. Agree which gaps need attention first.
ISO 9001:2026 is published. Plan your transition with a clear purpose.
The revised standard is now in force. Understand what has changed, establish what applies to your organisation and make the transition useful to the people doing the work.
Q•UNIQUE helps you review your current quality management system, identify the changes you need and put them into practice alongside day-to-day delivery.
Where the standard stands
ISO published ISO 9001:2026 on 16 September 2026. It replaces ISO 9001:2015, which ISO now lists as withdrawn.
ISO’s quality management committee (ISO/TC 176) has announced that organisations certified to ISO 9001:2015 have until 30 September 2029 to complete their transition. From 31 March 2028, new certifications may only be issued to ISO 9001:2026. Your certification body schedules the audits within that window, so confirm your own dates with them. Status checked: 30 September 2026.
What is changing?
The revision is focused and keeps the existing framework. ISO’s overview highlights clearer language, greater emphasis on leadership and quality culture, clarification of risk and opportunity, additional explanatory guidance and closer alignment with other management system standards.
The practical question for your business is: what needs to change in the way people understand, use and lead your quality management system?
Start with these questions
The following are Q•UNIQUE’s suggested starting points for a readiness discussion:
- Can people find the current information they need and use it confidently?
- Do process owners understand their responsibilities and act on recurring problems?
- Can managers show how risks, decisions and improvements are handled in everyday work?
- Does internal audit help leaders identify where attention is needed?
- Do you know which changes are required, who owns them and how they will be checked?
How we help
Build a manageable transition plan
Set out the changes, responsibilities, sequence and evidence needed. Coordinate the plan with your certification body’s arrangements.
Make the changes usable
Work with process owners and teams to update the relevant practices, information and controls. Explain what changes and why it matters to their work.
Check that the changes are working
Use review and internal audit to assess implementation, address remaining gaps and prepare for the next agreed certification step.
Questions leaders ask
Do we need to rebuild our entire system?
Begin by comparing your current system with the applicable requirements. The work needed depends on your starting point; a review should establish the scope before you commit to a larger programme.
When must we complete the transition?
ISO/TC 176 has announced 30 September 2029 as the end of the transition period for ISO 9001:2015 certificates. Your certification body will schedule the transition audit within your certificate cycle, and audit availability tends to tighten towards the end of a transition period. Agree your timetable with them now rather than later.
Is our ISO 9001:2015 certificate still valid?
Yes, during the transition period. Your certificate remains valid until you transition or the period ends, whichever comes first. Plan the transition so that it happens at a point that suits your audit cycle and your business.
Can this also help with recurring operational problems?
Yes. The review can examine issues such as unclear ownership, hard-to-use information and repeated audit findings. Any improvement work should have an agreed purpose and a way to check progress.
Does Q•UNIQUE provide certification?
Q•UNIQUE supports readiness and implementation. Certification decisions sit with your certification body.
Reference: ISO’s standard page at https://www.iso.org/standard/9001
Make the next step clear
Tell Kyle where your organisation stands today and what concerns you about the transition. Start with a discussion of the work you actually need.