ISO transition

Transitioning to ISO 9001-2015

Introduction

Back in 2015, the International Organization for Standardization revised the ISO 9001:2008 standard and gave ISO certified companies up to September 2018 to transition. Therefore, ISO 9001:2008 certificates are not valid anymore. If your company has an ISO 9001:2008 certificate and has not transitioned yet, this article is for you.

What are the changes in ISO 9001:2015?

The most important thing to know about the updated version of the ISO 9001 standard is that many of the requirements in the previous version of the standard remain the same. In the updated version, there are seven principles instead of eight, however the core is still the same. Moreover, in the new version there are ten clauses instead of eight, and six mandatory documents instead of six mandatory procedures. The intention behind these changes is to provide more freedom in documenting the Quality Management System (QMS). The most significant new requirements in the updated version are Clause 4 (Context of the organization) and Clause 6.1 (Actions to address risks and opportunities). The idea behind these new requirements is to integrate the QMS into daily business activities.

Benefits of transitioning

The ISO committee has taken advice from all sectors of the business community from different nations, and received input from many experts. The new requirements are all intended to improve your business and its chance of survival, profitability, and development. Transitioning to the latest version of the ISO 9001 standard can benefit an organization in many ways, such as

  1. Better business performance
  2. Enhance reputation
  3. Adopting risk-based thinking
  4. More pragmatic approach
  5. Improved integration

ISO 9001:2015 Transition steps

To get the new ISO 9001 standard, you don’t have to implement the QMS all over again, you only have to update it to meet the new ISO 9001 standard requirements. These new requirements are listed below.

  1. Define context of the organization.
  2. List all interested parties.
  3. Review the scope of the QMS.
  4. Demonstrate leadership.
  5. Align QMS objectives with the company’s strategy.
  6. Assess risks and opportunities.
  7. Control of documented information.
  8. Operational control.
  9. Review the design and development process.
  10. Control of external providers.
  11.  Performance evaluation.
  12.  Measurement and reporting.

As you can see, the new requirements are not spelled out to explain the needs for each individual company. Therefore, although organizations can opt to perform this transition on their own, it is advisable to hire a consultant to help with the move. Companies such as H.A. Consultancies provide the required knowledge and experience to streamline the transition and ensure a proper implementation of the new requirements. H.A. Consultancies also has an automated ISO ERP system that integrates the ISO requirements with the company’s day-to-day operations. Contact them to learn more.