ISO 9001:2026: what's changing from the 2015 version

If you manage a certified ISO 9001 quality system, you've probably already heard about the standard's ongoing revision. Here's the real status of the process as of September 2026, the changes that are already confirmed, and what this means for your company today.

Has ISO 9001:2026 already been published?

No, not yet. As of today, the standard in force and certifiable is still ISO 9001:2015. The revision has already completed its most important formal stages: the international draft (DIS) was published in August 2025 and was approved by ISO member bodies with 97% of votes in favor that December. Between April and June 2026 the final draft (FDIS) was voted on, closing the technical revision of the text. Official publication of ISO 9001:2026 is expected in September 2026, though like any ISO date, that's a forecast, not an absolute certainty.

What stays the same

Before getting into the changes, the good news: ISO 9001:2026 is not a brand-new standard built from scratch. It keeps the same Harmonized Structure shared by management system standards (formerly known as the High Level Structure), the same seven quality management principles, and the same process approach. Anyone who's on top of the 2015 version today already understands the vast majority of what the 2026 version will ask for.

The four confirmed changes

1. Quality culture and ethical behavior

The new version turns into an explicit leadership requirement something that was only implicit in 2015: top management must actively foster a quality culture and ethical behavior within the organization, and demonstrate it through action — open communication, leading by example, and training — not just a statement of intent.

2. Risks and opportunities, separated

Until now, risks and opportunities were handled together under clause 6.1, and in practice many organizations focused almost entirely on the risks. The revision splits the two concepts into separate sub-clauses — risks move to 6.1.2 and opportunities to 6.1.3 — to give them equal weight in practice, not just on paper. Risk-based thinking itself doesn't change.

3. Climate change built into the context

The 2024 climate change amendment is now integrated directly into the body of the standard. The organization will need to assess whether climate change is a relevant issue for its context (clauses 4.1 and 4.2) and take interested parties' expectations on the matter into account. This doesn't turn ISO 9001 into an environmental standard: if your company concludes that climate change isn't relevant to its activity, it's enough to record that assessment.

4. New informative Annex A

For the first time, ISO 9001 will include an informative Annex A (around 15 pages) clarifying the structure, terminology, and purpose of each clause — meant to make the standard easier to interpret, not to add new requirements.

Transition timeline

Once published, organizations certified to ISO 9001:2015 will get an estimated transition period of around three years (until roughly 2029) to migrate to the new version, subject to IAF confirmation. 2015 certificates will remain fully valid throughout that period, and migration is usually done at the organization's own recertification audit, with no need for extra audits. In addition, after publication certification bodies need 9 to 12 months to get accredited for the new standard, so the first ISO 9001:2026 certificates aren't expected before mid-to-late 2027.

Should I wait until 2026 to get certified?

No. Getting certified today under ISO 9001:2015 is still the only path available, and all the work you do on that basis carries straight over to the 2026 version — the transition will be an adjustment, not a system built from scratch. Waiting only delays the benefits of having a certified system, with nothing gained in return.