ISO 9001:2026 – All Updates to the New Standard

SUCCESSFULLY MANAGING THE TRANSITION TO QUALITY MANAGEMENT.

What is ISO 9001:2026 ?

ISO 9001:2026 is the new version of the international standard for quality management systems. Introduced to address modern challenges such as sustainability and climate risks, technological innovation, and organizational resilience, this revision updates the structure and requirements of ISO 9001 to ensure greater consistency, ethics, and adaptability.

Currently in the international comment phase, the official draft of the new revision - the first full update since 2015 - was published at the end of August 2025 by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). The official release is expected in autumn 2026 and represents a strategic opportunity for companies aiming for operational excellence.

What’s changing with ISO 9001:2026 ?

  • Unified structure across standards: ISO 9001:2026 will follow the new Harmonized Structure (HS), which replaces the previous High Level Structure (HLS). Published in 2021, the HS forms the framework for all management systems, ensuring consistency. Section 3 of the new ISO 9001 version includes all relevant terms from the Harmonized Structure.
  • Climate change as a strategic factor: As specified in Section 4, organizations will need to assess the impact of climate change as part of the external context making sustainability a core business competence.
  • Ethics and quality culture in leadership: Leadership requirements now include promoting a culture of quality and ethical behavior, aligning values with corporate strategy. This is detailed in Section 5.
  • Risks and opportunities: a balanced approach: In Section 6, the standard clearly distinguishes between risk management and opportunity management, with dedicated subsections to support planning and innovation.
  • Awareness and engagement: New clauses strengthen internal awareness of quality principles and ethics, as outlined in Section 7.
  • Greater clarity and simplified content: Appendix A provides deeper explanations to facilitate implementation of the standard, while Appendix B has been removed to streamline the document.

How can companies in Greece prepare for the ISO 9001:2026 transition?

  • Start now

    Review the DIS draft and identify its impact on your current management systems.

  • Conduct Gap Analysis

    Compare your processes with the new requirements to identify gaps and opportunities.

  • Plan the Transition

    The International Accreditation Forum (IAF) is expected to release binding documents soon to support the conversion of ISO 9001:2015 certificates to the new ISO 9001:2026 version. As in previous revisions, a three-year transition period is anticipated, which companies can use for updates, training, and audits.

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