November 20, 2024
ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 Upgrade Expected in 2025
What are the current versions of ISO 9001 and ISO 14001?
ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 were last updated in September 2015, making their current versions ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015.
- ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System (QMS): The 2015 update introduced a stronger emphasis on risk-based thinking, leadership involvement, and aligning the QMS with the organisation’s strategic direction.
- ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management System (EMS): The 2015 update introduced changes that included a greater focus on lifecycle thinking, leadership commitment and improved integration with business processes.
Why are ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 being updated?
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) typically reviews standards every five years to ensure they remain relevant to industry practices and evolving needs. Whilst ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 were deemed fit for purpose after a review in 2021, the changing global landscape has promoted the need for change. We’ve already seen amendments introduced to Clause 4: Context of the Organisation, which now includes a strong focus on climate change considerations for over 30 standards, including ISO 9001 and ISO 14001. Other drivers include technological advancements like artificial intelligence (AI) and automation and disruptions such as the COVID-19 pandemic, supply chain challenges and geopolitical uncertainties.
Expected timeline for the ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 updates
We won’t officially know what’s changing until their release, but here’s an idea of some of the anticipated changes:
ISO 9001 Quality Management
The upcoming changes to ISO 9001 are likely to be significant. According to the ISO TC 176/SC2/WG29 report, “adjustments to ISO 9001 are planned regarding the aspects of resilience, supply chain management, change management, sustainability, dealing with risks and organisational knowledge”. This could include:
- Expanded risk-based thinking: Building on the risk-based approach introduced in 2015, the update may further integrate risk management into the QMS. This could lead to a more proactive approach, encouraging you to not only mitigate risks but also leverage opportunities for improvement.
- Digital transformation and technology: The new standard may include specific requirements related to data security, automation, and digital quality management tools. You might need to demonstrate how you leverage technology, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, to enhance data analytics and predict quality issues.
- Greater emphasis on environmental considerations: Reflecting the increased focus on sustainability, ISO 9001 may incorporate more stringent environmental practices within quality planning. This aligns with the updated Clause 4 which now emphasises consideration to climate change.
- Strengthen customer focus: While customer satisfaction remains central, the revision may deepen the emphasis on understanding customer needs and expectations. This could involve more comprehensive processes for gathering, analysing, and acting on customer feedback to drive continuous improvement and foster loyalty.
- Robust supply chain management: In response to recent supply chain disruptions, there may be new requirements for evaluating suppliers, managing supply chain risks, and ensuring resilience.
- People engagement and competence: Recognising the crucial role of employees, the new standard might emphasise employee engagement, skill development, and fostering a culture of quality throughout your organisation.
- Updated performance evaluation: To aid continuous improvement, you may need to adopt advanced metrics and performance monitoring tools, leveraging data-driven insights.
ISO 14001
The ISO 14001 revision is likely to be less extensive, focusing primarily on alignment and refinement rather than introducing new requirements. Anticipated updates could include:
- Stronger alignment with business strategy: The new version is likely to emphasise better integration of environmental management with your overall strategies and processes.
- Deeper analysis of risks and opportunities: A more comprehensive evaluation of external and internal factors affecting environmental performance may be required. You might need to identify and address risks and opportunities more proactively.
- Lifecycle perspective enhancements: The lifecycle perspective, a significant focus in the 2015 update, may receive additional guidance to help you make more sustainable decisions across your operations.
- Highlighting technical topics through the ISO 14002 series: The ISO 14002 series, which provides guidance on specific environmental topics such as climate change and waste management, will continue to grow, ensuring you can address emerging environmental challenges.
- Improving external reporting: You may need to increase transparency in reporting your environmental performance, enhancing stakeholder trust by providing clearer data on your environmental impact and achievements.
- Focus on supply chain and outsourced processes: There could be a heightened emphasis on managing the environmental impact of outsourced processes and supply chains, with stricter requirements for supplier evaluations to ensure alignment with sustainability goals.
- Promoting a culture of environmental responsibility: Engaging employees at all levels to foster a culture of environmental awareness may become a key focus, requiring you to demonstrate how you promote training and encourage sustainable practices.
What should you do now?
While no immediate action is required, it’s wise to stay informed and begin considering how these changes might impact your management system. Once the new standards are published, you will have three years to transition to the latest version.
At ISO Quality Services, we’re here to support you every step of the way through the upgrade process, making it as seamless as possible and alleviating much of the pressure that can come with adapting to new requirements. We understand that upgrades may feel challenging, but they also offer an invaluable opportunity to not only enhance your management systems but also drive improvements across your entire business.
