30.04.24

What the upcoming revisions of ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 could mean for your company

ISO 9001 is the world's best-known standard, with more than a million companies certified. Now the grande dame of management systems is being revised. The SNV organised an information event on 8 March to provide more details. With around 150 participants, demand was high. Thomas Krähenmann, head of the Quality Management & Quality Assurance Standards Committee, talked about the next planned steps and explained why active participation in the revision is worthwhile. Changes to the ISO 14001 environmental management standard were also discussed and explained by René Wasmer, head of the Environment & Sustainability Standards Committee.

Who is responsible for the revision of ISO 9001?

The revision of ISO 9001:2015 began in December 2023 with the establishment of an ISO working group. This is now made up of around 150 people. These include country representatives from almost all standards organizations – so-called member bodies. The working group is led by experts from the USA, Latin America and Namibia. The working group meets regularly, usually virtually, to discuss, comment on, edit and vote on proposed changes.

At Swiss level, the INB/NK 140 Quality Management & Quality Assurance standards committee, chaired by Thomas Krähenmann, is tasked with receiving comments and opinions on the revision and passing them on to the ISO working group. This ensures that the interests of the Swiss economy and society are included in the revision process. The committee is always on the lookout for new members.

What changes are planned?

At the moment, it is not yet possible to make any binding statements on the definitive amendments to the standard. However, the following trends are already emerging: The structure and scope of the current ISO 9001 will essentially be retained. In future, ISO 9001 will be better aligned with ISO 9000. Trend topics such as customer experience, the circular economy and artificial intelligence will be taken into account in the revision. Chapter 6.1 currently combines the topics “Opportunities & risks”, which leads to companies focusing too much on the risks and not taking enough notice of possible opportunities. In future, these should be listed separately. The UN Sustainable Development Goals will also be taken into account in the revision.

When will the revision be completed?

The ISO working group expects the revised version of the standard to be available in mid-November 2025.

When do certified companies have to switch to the new version?

Certified companies and organizations will be granted a transition period of probably three years after publication of the amended standard to switch to the revised standard. The new version will be available from this date in our standards shop “SNV-Connect” available.

ISO 14001 – Revision of the environmental management standard

The ISO 14001 standard defines globally recognized criteria for efficient and effective environmental management systems. It helps companies to improve their environmental performance accordingly, achieve their environmental goals and comply with legal obligations, taking risks and opportunities into account. Since its publication in 1996, ISO 14001 has become an integral part of around 600,000 certified companies worldwide. The standard has already been revised several times in the past. The fourth revision is currently underway – this is a so-called limited revision. The aim is to define the requirements more clearly, which mainly concerns the informative annex to the standard. In this context, important topics such as climate change, the scarcity of resources, the protection of ecosystems and the importance of the UN Sustainable Development Goals are also to be given greater focus. There will be no new requirements for an environmental management system. The revised standard is expected in October 2025.

How long does the transition period apply?

The transition period for the changeover to the new version of the standard for certified companies is still being determined by the IAF (International Accreditation Forum). This is usually three years, i.e. a changeover could therefore take place within a 3-year certificate validity cycle.

Your cooperation is needed!

Would you also like to be involved in the revision of ISO 9001 or ISO 14001? Then get involved in our national standards committees INB/NK 140 Quality Management & Quality Assurance or INB/NK 174 Environment & Sustainability and contribute your expertise. As a committee member, you will meet other national industry experts and actively participate in the revision process. You will also have the opportunity to make international contacts.

Further information

• SNV Event: Revision of ISO 9001 and ISO 14001
• Revision of ISO 9001
• Revision of ISO 14001
• Think, participate and have a say in standardization work