Confirm the edition and the timetable that applies to you
ISO 9001:2026 was published in September 2026. If your company holds certification to ISO 9001:2015, the first step is to ask your certification body about the transition criteria applicable to your certificate, the relevant dates and how the change will be assessed.
Gather your certified scope, upcoming audits and commitments made to clients. Do not infer your certificate’s expiry solely from the publication of a new edition. You need a confirmed timetable to coordinate the updates with your operations and audit.
Compare the requirements with your actual management system
Work with the authorized text of the new standard and your company’s current documentation. Review each applicable requirement against processes, responsibilities and records. A useful comparison identifies what is already covered, what needs adjustment and what evidence is missing.
Avoid turning the transition into an automatic replacement of documents. Some practices may remain suitable; others need changes in day-to-day operations. For each gap, describe the action, its owner and how you will verify the result before treating it as resolved.
Update the work and the evidence together
Prioritize changes according to their effect on clients, processes and applicable requirements. If you update a working criterion, inform the people who use it and check that they can apply it. Training should address the specific change and each team’s responsibilities.
Maintain policies, instructions and indicators in your company’s existing tools. Control versions and withdraw those that have become obsolete. Gather evidence that the changes are being applied; an approved document does not, on its own, demonstrate that a process works.
Assess the results before the independent audit
An internal audit lets you check applicable requirements and identify outstanding issues while there is still time to act. Bring its findings to the management review alongside the status of actions, objectives and relevant changes. The transition needs to be connected to business decisions.
Coordinate with your certification body on the documentation and conditions it needs to assess the transition. ISOadvance can integrate the updates and help you maintain the system throughout the year. The certification decision belongs to the independent body your company chooses and depends on its assessment.
For your next meeting
Your preparation checklist.
- Confirm dates and criteria with your certification body.
- Obtain the standard and compare its requirements with practices and records.
- Assign owners and expected evidence to each update.
- Check that people apply the changes in their work.
- Assess results through internal audit and management review.
This guide provides general orientation. The official standard and your company’s scope determine applicable requirements.
Consult the official ISO reference
