What exactly is ISO 9001?

ISO 9001:2015 is an international standard for Quality Management Systems (QMS). It provides a framework for improving quality as well as a vocabulary of understanding for any business seeking to deliver goods and services that consistently meet the needs and expectations of clients and other relevant interested parties in the most effective way. The quality management system (QMS) is the culmination of all procedures, tools, materials, possessions, and cultural ideals that serve the goals of client satisfaction and business effectiveness. ISO 9001:2015, the most recent version, replaces ISO 9001:2008, which was first published in 1987.

The ISO 9001:2015 standard does not specify what a company’s goals should be or how to achieve them. In other words, it does not teach anyone how to manage their business. Because it is a flexible standard, each organisation is free to determine its own goals and level of compliance with the standard. In order to save costs, open up new opportunities, meet regulatory requirements, and help organisations enter new markets where customers want ISO 9001 certification, ISO 9001:2015 defines the guiding principles that can be used to streamline and align processes across the organisation (the latter of which is becoming increasingly important for businesses working in or with the public sector or serving as suppliers in the automotive or private industries).

ISO does not certify ISO 9001:2015 systems. Instead, organisations hire an independent certification body to audit their QMS implementation in accordance with ISO standards. This standard is applicable to organisations of any size, including those with no dedicated Quality resources.