ISO has published the new version of the ISO 9001. It is the world’s most widely used technical standard: 1,130,000 organisations from 187 countries hold the certificate.

The ISO 9001 is used by all types of companies and organisations, both public and private, of all sizes and from all sectors of activity; it is the internationally recognised means of demonstrating a commitment to quality. This standard helps organisations to work more efficiently, as it permits them to harmonise all their processes, thus making them more easy to understand. Its correct implementation helps to increase productivity and efficiency and reduce economic costs.

The new features introduced in the standard include a greater emphasis on leadership at management level. There is also an increased importance given to risk; not only the negative effect of uncertainty, but also to identify business opportunities that contribute to bottom line improvements. The standard also promotes increased efficiency in the supplier chain. It is written in simple and clear language to facilitate its application in organisations.

The main objective of the review is to facilitate the integration of this standard into other Management Systems and to ensure that these are more accessible for all types of organisations, especially in the services sector. It shares the so-called High Level Structure, common to all management standards.