ISO 9001:2026 is coming – are you ready?
The next revision of ISO 9001 is imminent and is expected to be published in fall 2026. The current draft already clearly shows that this is not a purely cosmetic revision, but a far-reaching further development of the world’s most important standard for quality management. Companies should understand these changes at an early stage so that they can adapt to the new requirements in good time and manage the transition from ISO 9001:2015 to ISO 9001:2026 without unnecessary hurdles.
One of the central innovations is the stronger alignment of the standard with the Harmonized Structure (HS). This structure forms the common framework for all modern management system standards and ensures uniform terminology and parallel chapters. This makes it much easier to integrate different management systems. For organizations that already work according to ISO/IEC 27001, ISO 14001 or ISO 45001, the future ISO 9001 will be easier to embed in a higher-level integrated management system. The Harmonized Structure reduces redundancies, creates clear interfaces and supports a common understanding of management tasks, risks and opportunities as well as continuous improvement.
Another fundamental innovation is the explicit inclusion of the topic of climate change in the standard. In future, organizations will be obliged to take climate-related aspects into account in their quality management system. This means that climate risks, potential impacts on products and services as well as climate-related expectations of relevant stakeholders must be included in the planning and assessment of the QMS. Companies must therefore ask themselves how their processes, supply chains and resources could be affected by climate change and what measures are necessary to ensure quality even under changing conditions. This expansion follows a general development in the ISO management standards, which place greater emphasis on sustainability and resilience.
ISO 9001:2026 will also contain a clearer separation and stronger focus on opportunities and risks. The draft provides for these two aspects to be dealt with in separate chapters in order to create more structure and transparency in decision-making. Risks will continue to be part of preventive management, while opportunities will be seen more as positive impulses for innovation, growth and strategic development. Companies must therefore not only identify risks, but also systematically analyze and document potential for improvement.
Another key focus of the revision is on quality culture, ethics and the role of top management. ISO 9001:2015 already emphasized the importance of leadership, but the 2026 version goes one step further. In future, top management must not only ensure an effective QMS, but also actively promote an internal culture that supports quality, integrity and responsible behavior. Values, communication, role models and the promotion of competence and a sense of responsibility will play a much greater role in this. The quality management system is thus seen even more as a management tool and less as a purely technical or operational structure.
Closely related to this is the stronger linking of the QMS with the corporate strategy. In future, quality targets and quality-related decisions should be a visible part of the strategic orientation. Quality is seen as a key factor for sustainable competitiveness, customer satisfaction and long-term success. Companies must therefore explain more clearly how their quality management influences strategic decisions, how quality objectives are linked to business objectives and how the results of the QMS are incorporated into the strategic evaluation.
The annexes to the standard will also be revised and partially restructured. At the same time, an official transition period will be defined to allow organizations to gradually implement the new requirements. This will be particularly important for companies that operate other management systems in parallel or are facing recertification. Early planning will ensure that the transition is successful without operational interruptions.
Syngenity® GmbH supports organizations in implementing the upcoming requirements of ISO 9001:2026 in a practical and value-adding manner. The aim is not to create additional bureaucratic burdens from the changes, but to achieve meaningful improvements in processes, cooperation and strategic orientation.
The first step is to carry out a gap and impact analysis. This involves comparing the existing ISO 9001:2015 system with future requirements. Particularly relevant here are the topics of climate influences, lived culture, ethical behavior and stronger integration into strategic planning. This analysis provides a clear overview of necessary adjustments and potential.
As ISO 9001:2026 will be based entirely on the Harmonized Structure, Syngenity® GmbH also provides support in the design and optimization of integrated management systems. This enables organizations to closely dovetail quality management with information security, environmental management or occupational health and safety and to exploit synergies.
Another focus is on integrating climate aspects, opportunities and risks into existing processes. This includes adapting methods, KPIs and management reviews so that climate-relevant factors, strategic risks and new opportunities can be systematically taken into account.
Culture, ethics and leadership will also play a central role in the future. Syngenity® GmbH supports companies in translating these expectations into concrete management practices, communication structures and training concepts. This ensures that quality culture is not just a theoretical construct, but is actively practiced within the company.
Finally, Syngenity® GmbH creates an individual roadmap that guides organizations through the entire transition process. Based on the official timeline, this roadmap contains clear milestones, responsibilities and priorities to make the transition from ISO 9001:2015 to ISO 9001:2026 structured and efficient.
Those who prepare early will benefit from the new ISO 9001:2026 and will be able to raise their quality management to a future-oriented, robust and strategically relevant level.
