Global Community

ISO is currently working on the next revision of the world's most adopted quality management standard - ISO 9001 - aiming to release ISO 9001:2025 in the coming year. While the final draft has not yet been published, several key areas of change are already being discussed in working groups and industry forums.

Potential areas of focus include:

• Greater emphasis on risk-based thinking - expanding the integration of risk into decision-making processes beyond what was introduced in the 2015 edition.
• Digitalization and data management - recognizing the role of technology, big data, and AI in modern quality systems.
• Sustainability and ESG considerations - aligning quality management with environmental and social responsibility objectives.
• Resilience and business continuity - incorporating lessons learned from global disruptions such as pandemics and supply chain crises.
• Enhanced process approach guidance - providing clearer, more practical tools for process owners and auditors.

For auditors, this revision could mean:

• Updating audit checklists to address new or redefined clauses.
• Building competence in assessing digital tools and sustainability measures within QMS.
• Stronger focus on evaluating organizational agility and resilience.
• Cross-functional interviews that dive deeper into risk assessment and strategic planning.

If ISO follows usual practice, the new standard will be published with a three-year transition period, during which organizations can adapt before certification bodies require audits to the new version.

How do you think the potential inclusion of sustainability and digitalization requirements will alter the way we plan and conduct quality management system audits?

This is a great topic to discuss! thanks for sharing. I'm currently facing sustainability and ESG evaluations from customers located at many countries around the world. I'm an EHS professional and I've found that ESG and Sustainability approach requires a multi-disciplinary team working to ease proper implementation and success on the reporting requirements given the fact that these are not only related to KPIs and sustainability commitment but also go to financial disclosures.

I find it interesting that ISO 9001:2025 addresses sustainability and ESG requirements, as it will need to find sections that complement ISO 14001 and 45001, so amendments or new versions of the latter would be necessary.

ISO is currently working on the next revision of the world's most adopted quality management standard - ISO 9001 - aiming to release ISO 9001:2025 in the coming year. While the final draft has not yet been published, several key areas of change are already being discussed in working groups and industry forums.

Potential areas of focus include:

• Greater emphasis on risk-based thinking - expanding the integration of risk into decision-making processes beyond what was introduced in the 2015 edition.
• Digitalization and data management - recognizing the role of technology, big data, and AI in modern quality systems.
• Sustainability and ESG considerations - aligning quality management with environmental and social responsibility objectives.
• Resilience and business continuity - incorporating lessons learned from global disruptions such as pandemics and supply chain crises.
• Enhanced process approach guidance - providing clearer, more practical tools for process owners and auditors.

For auditors, this revision could mean:

• Updating audit checklists to address new or redefined clauses.
• Building competence in assessing digital tools and sustainability measures within QMS.
• Stronger focus on evaluating organizational agility and resilience.
• Cross-functional interviews that dive deeper into risk assessment and strategic planning.

If ISO follows usual practice, the new standard will be published with a three-year transition period, during which organizations can adapt before certification bodies require audits to the new version.

How do you think the potential inclusion of sustainability and digitalization requirements will alter the way we plan and conduct quality management system audits?

Thank you for sharing your perspective - you make an excellent point. Sustainability and ESG requirements truly extend beyond operational KPIs; once financial disclosures and cross-border expectations come into play, it becomes a complex, multi‑disciplinary effort.

I also agree that if ISO 9001:2025 includes sustainability and ESG‑related clauses, it will have to be carefully aligned with ISO 14001 (environmental management) and ISO 45001 (occupational health & safety) to avoid duplication or conflicting approaches. It's possible that this revision could act as a trigger for updates to those standards, or at least for enhanced guidance on integration.

From an auditing perspective, such changes would require:

• Broader auditor competence in ESG frameworks and reporting standards
• A deeper understanding of financial‑linked sustainability indicators
• More coordination among different management system audits to ensure consistency

💬 It would be interesting to hear from others in the community: How do you envision managing audit programs when sustainability and ESG topics start impacting multiple ISO management systems simultaneously?

This is a great topic to discuss! thanks for sharing. I'm currently facing sustainability and ESG evaluations from customers located at many countries around the world. I'm an EHS professional and I've found that ESG and Sustainability approach requires a multi-disciplinary team working to ease proper implementation and success on the reporting requirements given the fact that these are not only related to KPIs and sustainability commitment but also go to financial disclosures.

I find it interesting that ISO 9001:2025 addresses sustainability and ESG requirements, as it will need to find sections that complement ISO 14001 and 45001, so amendments or new versions of the latter would be necessary.

ISO is currently working on the next revision of the world's most adopted quality management standard - ISO 9001 - aiming to release ISO 9001:2025 in the coming year. While the final draft has not yet been published, several key areas of change are already being discussed in working groups and industry forums.

Potential areas of focus include:

• Greater emphasis on risk-based thinking - expanding the integration of risk into decision-making processes beyond what was introduced in the 2015 edition.
• Digitalization and data management - recognizing the role of technology, big data, and AI in modern quality systems.
• Sustainability and ESG considerations - aligning quality management with environmental and social responsibility objectives.
• Resilience and business continuity - incorporating lessons learned from global disruptions such as pandemics and supply chain crises.
• Enhanced process approach guidance - providing clearer, more practical tools for process owners and auditors.

For auditors, this revision could mean:

• Updating audit checklists to address new or redefined clauses.
• Building competence in assessing digital tools and sustainability measures within QMS.
• Stronger focus on evaluating organizational agility and resilience.
• Cross-functional interviews that dive deeper into risk assessment and strategic planning.

If ISO follows usual practice, the new standard will be published with a three-year transition period, during which organizations can adapt before certification bodies require audits to the new version.

How do you think the potential inclusion of sustainability and digitalization requirements will alter the way we plan and conduct quality management system audits?

ISO is currently working on the next revision of the world's most adopted quality management standard - ISO 9001 - aiming to release ISO 9001:2025 in the coming year. While the final draft has not yet been published, several key areas of change are already being discussed in working groups and industry forums.

Potential areas of focus include:

• Greater emphasis on risk-based thinking - expanding the integration of risk into decision-making processes beyond what was introduced in the 2015 edition.
• Digitalization and data management - recognizing the role of technology, big data, and AI in modern quality systems.
• Sustainability and ESG considerations - aligning quality management with environmental and social responsibility objectives.
• Resilience and business continuity - incorporating lessons learned from global disruptions such as pandemics and supply chain crises.
• Enhanced process approach guidance - providing clearer, more practical tools for process owners and auditors.

For auditors, this revision could mean:

• Updating audit checklists to address new or redefined clauses.
• Building competence in assessing digital tools and sustainability measures within QMS.
• Stronger focus on evaluating organizational agility and resilience.
• Cross-functional interviews that dive deeper into risk assessment and strategic planning.

If ISO follows usual practice, the new standard will be published with a three-year transition period, during which organizations can adapt before certification bodies require audits to the new version.

How do you think the potential inclusion of sustainability and digitalization requirements will alter the way we plan and conduct quality management system audits?

I'm also interested to see how new revision will read.  With this in mind, I watched the Risk Based Audit via Flowcharts by Denis Devos of Devos Associates on the Expo. Sometimes when something is put before you, it seems so simple of a concept and the indeed the most natural flow. I encourage everyone to watch this, I will be using this method rather than the "teach to the test method" of assigning part of the workflow to each clause as I have been doing. I feel that using the flowchart will capture more of the intended use of a quality program, and not leave chunks of the system behind. Thank you Denis! (by the way, I am not a part of the Devos Associates nor have I ever met Denis Devos or his team). This is a true test of how well this Exemplar Community is working!

ISO is currently working on the next revision of the world's most adopted quality management standard - ISO 9001 - aiming to release ISO 9001:2025 in the coming year. While the final draft has not yet been published, several key areas of change are already being discussed in working groups and industry forums.

Potential areas of focus include:

• Greater emphasis on risk-based thinking - expanding the integration of risk into decision-making processes beyond what was introduced in the 2015 edition.
• Digitalization and data management - recognizing the role of technology, big data, and AI in modern quality systems.
• Sustainability and ESG considerations - aligning quality management with environmental and social responsibility objectives.
• Resilience and business continuity - incorporating lessons learned from global disruptions such as pandemics and supply chain crises.
• Enhanced process approach guidance - providing clearer, more practical tools for process owners and auditors.

For auditors, this revision could mean:

• Updating audit checklists to address new or redefined clauses.
• Building competence in assessing digital tools and sustainability measures within QMS.
• Stronger focus on evaluating organizational agility and resilience.
• Cross-functional interviews that dive deeper into risk assessment and strategic planning.

If ISO follows usual practice, the new standard will be published with a three-year transition period, during which organizations can adapt before certification bodies require audits to the new version.

How do you think the potential inclusion of sustainability and digitalization requirements will alter the way we plan and conduct quality management system audits?

Thanks, Donna! I enjoyed Denis' presentation, too.

By the way, several of our Expo speakers (including Denis) are scheduled to join us for a pair of live panel discussions next week. There's one suitable for North America that runs on Thursday, Oct 9 at 5 p.m. New York time, and one perfect for those in Oceania/Asia running on Friday, Oct 10 at noon Sydney time.

I'm also interested to see how new revision will read.  With this in mind, I watched the Risk Based Audit via Flowcharts by Denis Devos of Devos Associates on the Expo. Sometimes when something is put before you, it seems so simple of a concept and the indeed the most natural flow. I encourage everyone to watch this, I will be using this method rather than the "teach to the test method" of assigning part of the workflow to each clause as I have been doing. I feel that using the flowchart will capture more of the intended use of a quality program, and not leave chunks of the system behind. Thank you Denis! (by the way, I am not a part of the Devos Associates nor have I ever met Denis Devos or his team). This is a true test of how well this Exemplar Community is working!

ISO is currently working on the next revision of the world's most adopted quality management standard - ISO 9001 - aiming to release ISO 9001:2025 in the coming year. While the final draft has not yet been published, several key areas of change are already being discussed in working groups and industry forums.

Potential areas of focus include:

• Greater emphasis on risk-based thinking - expanding the integration of risk into decision-making processes beyond what was introduced in the 2015 edition.
• Digitalization and data management - recognizing the role of technology, big data, and AI in modern quality systems.
• Sustainability and ESG considerations - aligning quality management with environmental and social responsibility objectives.
• Resilience and business continuity - incorporating lessons learned from global disruptions such as pandemics and supply chain crises.
• Enhanced process approach guidance - providing clearer, more practical tools for process owners and auditors.

For auditors, this revision could mean:

• Updating audit checklists to address new or redefined clauses.
• Building competence in assessing digital tools and sustainability measures within QMS.
• Stronger focus on evaluating organizational agility and resilience.
• Cross-functional interviews that dive deeper into risk assessment and strategic planning.

If ISO follows usual practice, the new standard will be published with a three-year transition period, during which organizations can adapt before certification bodies require audits to the new version.

How do you think the potential inclusion of sustainability and digitalization requirements will alter the way we plan and conduct quality management system audits?

ISO is currently working on the next revision of the world's most adopted quality management standard - ISO 9001 - aiming to release ISO 9001:2025 in the coming year. While the final draft has not yet been published, several key areas of change are already being discussed in working groups and industry forums.

Potential areas of focus include:

• Greater emphasis on risk-based thinking - expanding the integration of risk into decision-making processes beyond what was introduced in the 2015 edition.
• Digitalization and data management - recognizing the role of technology, big data, and AI in modern quality systems.
• Sustainability and ESG considerations - aligning quality management with environmental and social responsibility objectives.
• Resilience and business continuity - incorporating lessons learned from global disruptions such as pandemics and supply chain crises.
• Enhanced process approach guidance - providing clearer, more practical tools for process owners and auditors.

For auditors, this revision could mean:

• Updating audit checklists to address new or redefined clauses.
• Building competence in assessing digital tools and sustainability measures within QMS.
• Stronger focus on evaluating organizational agility and resilience.
• Cross-functional interviews that dive deeper into risk assessment and strategic planning.

If ISO follows usual practice, the new standard will be published with a three-year transition period, during which organizations can adapt before certification bodies require audits to the new version.

How do you think the potential inclusion of sustainability and digitalization requirements will alter the way we plan and conduct quality management system audits?

Thanks for the update and for getting this important discussion off the ground, Francisco. Just to add a few logs to the fire, I wanted to point out that the standard will not be published in 2025. We're looking at Q3/Q4 2026 at the earliest per ISO/TC 176 communications. I've added an illustration that shows the history of the changes and current status in an infographic. https://www.concentricglobal.co/blog/iso-90012026-the-road-to-the-next-edition Note: Even this graphic is a bit outdated as the current phase is 40.20 with the clock starting on the 12-week DIS review as of 27-Aug.

ISO is currently working on the next revision of the world's most adopted quality management standard - ISO 9001 - aiming to release ISO 9001:2025 in the coming year. While the final draft has not yet been published, several key areas of change are already being discussed in working groups and industry forums.

Potential areas of focus include:

• Greater emphasis on risk-based thinking - expanding the integration of risk into decision-making processes beyond what was introduced in the 2015 edition.
• Digitalization and data management - recognizing the role of technology, big data, and AI in modern quality systems.
• Sustainability and ESG considerations - aligning quality management with environmental and social responsibility objectives.
• Resilience and business continuity - incorporating lessons learned from global disruptions such as pandemics and supply chain crises.
• Enhanced process approach guidance - providing clearer, more practical tools for process owners and auditors.

For auditors, this revision could mean:

• Updating audit checklists to address new or redefined clauses.
• Building competence in assessing digital tools and sustainability measures within QMS.
• Stronger focus on evaluating organizational agility and resilience.
• Cross-functional interviews that dive deeper into risk assessment and strategic planning.

If ISO follows usual practice, the new standard will be published with a three-year transition period, during which organizations can adapt before certification bodies require audits to the new version.

How do you think the potential inclusion of sustainability and digitalization requirements will alter the way we plan and conduct quality management system audits?