Hot Spot - Changes to ISO 9001 to ‘drive innovation’

In a press release issued on 27 June 2013 by the International Register of Certificated Auditors (IRCA), proposed changes to ISO 9001, the global industry standard for Quality Management, were announced.

At the 2013 International IRCA global forum in Japan Colin MacNee, Chairman of the Chartered Quality Institute (CQI) Standards Panel stated that “Proposed changes to ISO 9001 standard for Quality Management will see a greater emphasis on how certification could be used to improve innovation globally across a wide range of business sectors”.

The announcement signals the start of the process which will see ISO 9001 revised and the new standard published by 2015. The new ISO 9001 will set out the criteria for a more integrated quality management system which can be used by any organization, large or small, regardless of its field of activity. ISO 9001 is currently implemented by over one million companies and organizations in over 170 countries.

Commenting on the proposed changes Colin MacNee said “The proposed changes to ISO 9001 are particularly relevant to the UK, one of the most innovative countries in the world. We hope that, through certification to the new ISO 9001, we can ensure that UK businesses not only continue to be innovative, but use it to become even more innovative”.

“ISO 9001 certification is normally associated with providing structures and process for businesses. However, we believe that the proposed revisions will have a significant impact across a number of areas, one of which aims to provide companies with a framework where they can be innovative. The culture of using ISO 9001 needs to move from the ‘tick box’ mind-set we often see to using the certification to actively improve a business.”

“In an increasingly global world, the need for harmonised management standards to ensure quality has never been greater. However, with a rapidly changing world, we need to ensure that these standards provide a real benefit to all businesses. As a result, ISO 9001 will be changing to better reflect the current global business environment. We also need to broaden interest and attract more industries. While ISO 9001 is widely used in manufacturing and other heavy industries, it can also have a significant benefit in other more service-oriented sectors, another field in which the UK leads.”

Published: 17th October 2013