What is BS EN ISO 9001:2026 - Quality management systems requirements about?
Used by over a million organizations worldwide, BS EN ISO 9001 is the globally recognized standard that helps you build a quality management system that delivers consistent outcomes and supports stronger business performance.
The 2026 edition is the latest version of the standard and continues to build on the framework that has supported organizations for over 30 years. It gives you a practical structure for managing processes, supporting decision-making and improving performance over time.
This means a standard that helps you:
- Deliver products and services consistently, even as your organization grows or changes.
- Strengthen credibility with customers, regulators and partners.
- Align objectives and priorities with day-to-day activities.
- Provide clearer evidence of performance and improvement.
Who is BS EN ISO 9001:2026 - Quality management systems requirements for?
BS EN ISO 9001:2026 is designed for anyone looking to bring greater structure, consistency and confidence to the way quality is managed across their organization. It is relevant to organizations of all sizes, sectors, and maturity.
This standard is particularly useful if you:
- Already use BS EN ISO 9001 and want to plan your transition in a structured way
- Need to increase consistency and reliability of results
- Want to improve customer satisfaction
- Are looking to demonstrate continual improvement across the organization
- Are looking for a framework that supports both day to day delivery and long term strategy.
Typical users include:
- Senior leaders responsible for performance and governance.
- Quality professionals managing systems and audits.
- Operations and process owners improving delivery.
- Auditors and consultants supporting implementation and assurance.
But don’t just take our word for it. Discover how Phoenix Software and Fairford Medical are benefitting from implementing the standard.
What does BS EN ISO 9001:2026 - Quality management systems requirements cover?
BS EN ISO 9001:2026 sets out the requirements for a quality management system you can apply across your entire organization. It gives you a structured way to plan, operate, monitor and continually improve how you deliver products or services, while keeping customer needs at the centre.
The standard covers how you:
- Establish and maintain a quality management system that supports your organizational objectives.
- Align quality with your organization’s strategy and direction.
- Define roles, responsibilities and leadership accountability.
- Understand your business context, stakeholders and expectations.
- Address risks and opportunities.
- Control processes to ensure consistent delivery.
- Monitor, measure and evaluate performance using data.
- Carry out internal audits and management reviews.
- Drive continual improvement across the organization.
- It applies to all parts of your organization, from leadership decisions through to operational delivery.
- It does not prescribe how you should do things. Instead, it gives you a clear framework you can adapt to fit your organization.
Why should you use BS EN ISO 9001:2026 - Quality management systems requirements?
Use BS EN ISO 9001:2026 if you are looking to get more from your quality management system.
The standard helps you:
- Create a consistent way of working across teams and locations.
- Reduce errors, duplication, and inefficiencies in processes.
- Improve communication and clarity around responsibilities.
- Strengthen customer confidence through reliable delivery.
- Support better decision making using data and structured reviews.
- Embed continual improvement into everyday operations.
- For you, this means fewer surprises, clearer accountability and a stronger link between what your organization plans and what it actually delivers.
What are the changes?
BS EN ISO 9001:2026 is the latest edition of the standard and supersedes BS EN ISO 9001:2015+A1:2024 which will be withdrawn.
It builds on a familiar foundation, so you can transition without starting again. The structure and core principles remain, and key areas have been refined to make the standard clearer and more useful in practice.
The main changes focus on improving clarity, strengthening leadership and making quality more relevant to how organizations operate today.
Key updates include:
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Clearer separation of risks and opportunities: you can now manage potential issues and improvement opportunities more distinctly, helping you balance control and growth more effectively.
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Stronger emphasis on quality culture and ethical behaviour: consistent results depend on behaviours, not just processes.
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Greater focus on leadership accountability: leadership intent must be demonstrated in practice, not assumed.
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Enhanced clarity through a revised Annex A: additional guidance helps explain the intent of the requirements, supporting more consistent interpretation and auditing, particularly for SMEs and new users.
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Closer alignment with other ISO management system standards through the ISO Harmonized Structure: you can integrate quality more easily with other ISO management system standards, creating a more joined-up approach across your organization.
If you already use BS EN ISO 9001, the 2026 edition is an opportunity to strengthen performance without rebuilding what is already in place. For new users, the updated standard provides a practical framework for building a reliable and scalable way of working.
Hear from the experts behind the revision on what has changed and why. Watch the video here.
Supporting your journey: Introducing the BS EN ISO 9001:2026 packs
While the benefits of BS EN ISO 9001 are widely recognized, we understand that implementing the standard for the first time or adapting to a revision can be challenging.
To support organizations at any stage in their journey, we have developed dedicated BS EN ISO 9001:2026 packs:
Learn more about these packs here.
Integrated Management Systems - Practical Guide
Implementing multiple management system standards – such as BS EN ISO 9001, BS EN ISO 14001 and more - can create overlap, duplicated effort and inconsistent ways of working if not managed well.
The newly published Integrated Management System – A Practical Guide (IMS‑PG) gives you a clear, practical pathway to integrate those standards into one Integrated Management System. Learn more here.