Quality Management Systems — the 2026 Edition
ISO 9001:2026 is here. Certificates to the 2015 edition stay valid during the transition period. Here is what changed and how to move across without disruption.
ISO 9001:2026 replaces the 2015 edition. The revision is evolutionary: the clause structure and core requirements stay the same, with targeted changes to quality culture, ethics, risk and opportunity, and awareness. Most organisations with a working QMS need a focused update, not a rebuild.
Certified to or working towards ISO 9001:2015? See our ISO 9001:2015 page →
What has changed in ISO 9001:2026
The changes are targeted. These are the areas auditors will look at first.
Climate change (Clauses 4.1 and 4.2)
Introduced by Amendment 1:2024 and now part of the edition. You must determine whether climate change is a relevant issue for your context, and consider whether interested parties have climate-related requirements. Auditors expect a documented assessment, even where the conclusion is that it is not relevant.
Quality culture and ethics (Clause 5.1.1)
Top management must promote and demonstrate a quality culture and ethical behaviour. Expect auditors to look for evidence in leadership communications and management review.
Risk and opportunity (Clause 6.1)
Clause 6.1 is split into subclauses 6.1.1, 6.1.2 and 6.1.3, separating risk from opportunity. If you currently combine both in one register, you will need to separate them.
Awareness (Clause 7.3)
Awareness requirements extend to quality culture and ethical behaviour, not just the quality policy and each person's contribution to objectives.
New Annex A guidance
ISO 9001 now includes an informative guidance annex covering Clauses 4 to 10. It creates no new requirements, but it is likely to shape how auditors interpret the standard.
Transition timeline
Certification bodies are expected to offer a three-year transition period from publication in September 2026, taking the deadline to around September 2029. Your exact date will be confirmed by your certification body.
Certification bodies typically need nine to twelve months to gain accreditation for a new edition, so the first ISO 9001:2026 certificates are realistically expected around mid-to-late 2027. Start planning early: auditor capacity tightens as the deadline approaches.
What to do now
- ◆Update your Clause 4.1 context analysis to address climate change, if you have not already
- ◆Start building an evidence trail for quality culture and ethics in leadership communications and management review
- ◆Separate risk and opportunity in your documentation
- ◆Add quality culture and ethics to induction and awareness training
- ◆Ask your certification body when your transition audit can be scheduled, ideally alongside a surveillance or recertification audit
How Anacruses helps
We run a gap analysis against the 2026 edition, update your documentation, brief your team, and support you through the transition audit. If you are certifying for the first time, we implement directly to ISO 9001:2026.
New to ISO 9001? We implement directly to the 2026 edition, so you never have to transition later.
Frequently asked questions
Is my ISO 9001:2015 certificate still valid?
Yes. Certificates to the 2015 edition remain valid throughout the transition period, provided you continue with your surveillance and recertification audits on schedule.
When do I have to transition to ISO 9001:2026?
The transition period is expected to run for three years from publication in September 2026, to around September 2029. Your certification body will confirm the exact date for your certificate.
Do I need to rewrite my quality management system?
Almost certainly not. The changes are targeted. Most organisations need to update context analysis, separate risk and opportunity, add evidence of quality culture and ethics, and extend awareness training.
Should a new client certify to 2015 or 2026?
If you are starting now, implement to the 2026 edition so you do not have to transition later. Speak to your chosen certification body about when they can audit against it.
Does ISO 9001:2026 include AI or ESG requirements?
No. The standard remains technology-neutral, and there are no formal AI governance, ESG reporting or supply chain resilience requirements.
Ready to move to ISO 9001:2026?
Book a free consultation and we will show you exactly where your system stands against the new edition.
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